Reviews by mmears

mmears says "Take a load off Fannie, And you can put the load right on me" about catalog opt out

mmears — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 02:51:44 GMT

If you are annoyed by the ubiquitous catalogues that junk up your mailbox, especially this time of year, this is the site that will bring you joyous relief!

Catalogchoice.org

Why do these companies think I want MORE TRASH??

This site is very user friendly. You first create a profile. You get to enter any names at your address, and any variation of names, such as Susan Parker, or S. Parker. Then you select from an alphabetical listing of catalogues, and provide the name just as it is written on the address, and the customer number, if available. Then click "DECLINE".

I cannot describe the glee every day as I go to this site to opt out on yet another catalogue that thinks I need more detritus. Imagine the joy of getting mail out of your box and not having to detour to recycle bin to toss them each day! I'm up to 47 opt outs now - a cleansing feeling, indeed when I hit the DECLINE key! If I don't get any more catalogues in 08, that will be Christmas enough for me.

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mmears says "Sausage that will convert a vegetarian" about Smith's Red and White Grocery - Rocky Mount, NC

mmears — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 05:34:15 GMT

If you're ever in NC, traveling on 95, take the Red Oak Exit just north of Rocky Mount to the small town of Dortches and find Smith's Red and White Grocery. Stop any stranger on the street and they'll direct you there.... believe me, they're used to folks asking. Even if you're not near the area, make this a desination trip. I usually do 90% of my Christmas shopping at this legendary country grocery store. Its draw? The world's best link sausage seasoned with sage and red pepper - you can order it mild or hot - made from only the choicest cuts right there on the premesis. Sausage sales (30,000 lbs/week during holiday season!) bring folks from all over the US. I went for the first time about 5 years ago for the sausage, but now am just as impressed with its quality foods and its unassuming good ol' country store ambience, and the friendliest employees you'll ever find. So, what else to stock up on there? Many varieties of home canned vegetables and fruits, pickles,......

mmears says "quit lugging, start dropping" about DROPPS Laundry Detergent

mmears — Wed, 16 May 2007 23:25:01 GMT

"ittle package, Little suds,Big clean" - this is their motto, and this detergent works as good as Tide (my favorite before discovering Dropps). You just toss the 1 x 2" pouch in with your laundry, and it dissolves in the wash. Check them out online at www.dropps.com. If you order online, you can use their $5.00 discount coupon. You can get 120 washloads for $45.00. I've only used the fragrance free, but they also have a "blue" scent. You can order 60 packets for $30 ($25 w/ discount), and site also offers travel paks. Sure is nice not to have to lug detergents home anymore!

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mmears says "loons and eagles are ready for their closeups, Mr. DeMille" about eagle and loon live cams

mmears — Wed, 09 May 2007 21:21:15 GMT

Bookmark this site now:

http://www.briloon.org/watching-wildlife/

I discovered the eagle cam - set up in coastal Maine - last spring and spend every possible moment watching the nesting, incubating, and finally when chicks were hatched, feeding. Then the thrill of watching the eaglets learning to fly... they'd boldly go to edge of nest, flap wings, then retreat. One fell to a lower branch and flew back up within an hour. Even after they 'left', they'd come back to the nest and mama and papa would feed them. This went well into July. My friends grew weary of my endless babbling about "my babies". They will feel a part of your family, too. Hard to spend hours watching the loons/eagles without getting so attached

Sadly this year the terrible spring storm destroyed the eagle eggs, and the cam keeper thinks possibilities are slim for another pair to mate/nest there at this late date. But I still keep checking.

Meanwhile, not far away, a loon cam is set up. I've seen no action...

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mmears says "Why can't all travel sites be this comprehensive?" about www.BestOfSanibelCaptiva.com

mmears — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 01:35:29 GMT

This site grabs you from page one and, within minutes, compels you to catch the next flight to these lovely subtropical islands. Not only do you get the skinny on best hotels/restaurants/activities for any interest group (birders, honeymooners, families, seashellers, fishers, wildlife enthusaists) - all exceptionally well written by Libby and Kim, the site owners - you can subscribe to the message board and get advice from many people who have actually stayed at a particular hotel,condo, home and actually toured the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge, or rented kayaks to explore the mangrove forests, or taken cruises to the outer islands, or eaten at any of the restaurants there. You cannot imagine the good advice you get both on the website and the message boards. Nothing is omitted! The message boards are searchable, too so you can find advice from everything to best brunches, cheap eats, music venues, shelling spots, places to avoid crowds, innovative activities.

You can spend...

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mmears says "like Geico, but better" about AMICA

mmears — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 15:44:38 GMT

Amica Insurance has handled all my property insurance for 25 years. They also offer life insurance and annuities, but I only have had experience with property/auto. They offer rates that are even better than Geico - am guessing they can do this, becuase they don't pump money into advertising, like those ubiquitous (but cute) Geico ads. They've been around for 100 years, and are highly professional, courteous, and have always responded promptly to any of my concerns. I'd stick with them even if there was another company that offered lower rates. Go to Amica.com and give them a try. You'll be a loyal customer, and save money, too.

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mmears says "Regal Mattresses at Pedestrian prices" about Sleepworthy Mattress

mmears — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 15:23:22 GMT

No one relishes climbing into a bed at the end of a busy day more than me, and no one has spent more money on top of the line mattresses over the years than I have. Major bucks invested into the top of the line, and I never regretted one penny spent on my 'creature comforts', either. BUT, I've recently discovered a small company here in NC that manufactures mattresses for all the major lines - Serta, Spring Air, Simmons, Sealy - and learned that they also distribute a line for SLEEPWORTHY.... same materials, same quality construction, SAME MATTRESS, just under the SLEEPWORTHY name. Believe me, I've now slept on this mattress for 3 months, and love it as much as the $2000 mattress I have here in Raleigh. The cost of this king Sleepworthy? $700, delivered. I'm now a believer that you don't have to spend the most to get the best in a mattress, and am a Sleepworthy customer forever. You can access their website, but it has little information. Best to call their phone 252-827-5330...

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mmears says "furnish your home w/out shipping charge piracy" about 2 great furniture websites ordering furniture/accessories on internet

mmears — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 03:34:20 GMT

After reading Libby's remarks about West Elm's thieving shipping charges, I must let you readers know about two home furnishing sites that are more than reasonable. The first, onewayfurniture.com has absolutely no shipping charges, only a $9.00 service fee. I was able to find two matching bedside tables that were less than 18" wide - no mean feat, I promise you! And there were oodles to choose from in many varying styles.

The second home furnishing site is stacksandstacks.com, a wonderful store out of San Francisco that sells homewares for every room, and has a great selection of framed art and art lighting. Forget West Elm & their thieving ways and search these two sights for your home furnishing needs... they both have so many styles to choose from, and prices that will delight. Fast delivery and their return policy is user friendly, too.

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mmears says "every week, new travel bargains in your mailbox" about TravelZoo

mmears — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 23:07:01 GMT

Every week, TravelZoo will email you their "20 Best" deals if you subscribe. Here's the website for you to get exciting travel offers each week:http://www.travelzoo.com/top20

I saved about $400 in airfare on a trip to Scotland not long ago. All the Top 20 are very good deals and range from a hotel in a city to airfare specials to a cruise package. Even if you can't take advantage of their weekly Top 20, it is always fun to read about the offers.

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mmears says "throw the other heating pads away" about Battle Creek Thermophore Heat Pak

mmears — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:09:34 GMT

In the 25 years I've run my physical therapy business, I've been approached by by numerous sales people to hawk various vitamins, supplements, gadgets, ointments. Testing them all, I found nothing but hype and virtually no bang for the buck. There is one product, though, that everyone with aches and pains should have in their home... A thermophore, made by Battle Creek Equipment Co. What makes it different from the 'drugstore' variety heating pads? Plenty. First, it creates its own moisture, so there's no messy pads to insert. Just plug it in, and in minutes, you'll get the deepest heat you've ever experienced via a hot pak. Why is moist heat preferable to dry heat? Moisture conducts heat 10X more efficiently than air. These thermophores are larger, heavier,and many times more effective than what you'd throw $25 away on. They are far more effective than the hydrocollator paks commonly used in PT office. Yes, they are more expensive, around $65 for the large size (I've seen...

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mmears says "for coffee junkies" about Technivorm Coffee Maker

mmears — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 12:50:17 GMT

TECHNIVORM manufactures only the best coffeemakers. Dutch made, they have been particularly hard to find lately due to a spate of articles recently in Bon Appetit and Forbes. No stores in Raleigh carried them so I ordered one from Sweet Marias and one from Boyds.

What makes this worth the $200 price tag? It brews the best coffee you can imagine, starting with heating the water to higher temps that you won't find in any other coffee maker,necessary to extract the most flavor from the freshly ground bean. The best models come with a thermos jug so that the pot doesn't bake the coffee and destroy the taste of freshly brewed coffee - they do offer models with a warmer, though. If you love coffee as much as we do - i.e., buy only freshly roasted beans (better still, roast your own) you owe it to yourself to brew it in a Technivorm.

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mmears says "products okay - nightmare service" about GE Appliances and Service - - Albert Lea, MN

mmears — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 13:16:16 GMT

Having fought a two year battle with GE service/repair - and lost - I refuse to buy any more of their products. I've probably wasted a good 30 hours of my time writing, calling to resolve a moisture problem (the latest of many problems). 5 times, over a period of 2 months, a service repairman did not show up in time frame (not even the same day) GE promised. Finally, they replaced the doors after showing up one day they were NOT scheduled. But then It then took 3 months and about 10 calls for GE to remove the huge boxes they'd stored in my carport. Though I've never had any problem at all with GE prior to this, and in fact own many GE products, I will never buy another one again b/c of their rude and shoddy service. I had to deal with personnel on other continents who could barely understand me, nor could I understand them. Asking to speak to their managers never solved the problem. The only way to resolve it is to vote with my purse and refuse to buy their products!

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