Category: A BostonZest Shop

Things That Work, China Markers

We've used china markers for years. They come in handy for all sorts of writing projects. You can put a thank you note right on a wine bottle, scribble a reminder on the bathroom mirror, or mark the nail in a tire so you can find it at the service station.

These wax filled pencils (also called "crayon pencils," "grease pencils," or "wax pencils") write on glass, china, mirrors, tires, car windshields, etc. without damaging most surfaces. The markings rub off of slick surfaces with a dry cloth or you can use soap and warm water. (The wax is more difficult to remove from plastic.)

Read some of the reviews on Amazon to find how many ways people use the pencils. Department stores used to use them to mark chips on china or glass that was scheduled to be removed from inventory. You can use them to mark yard sale prices on anything like that.

Because they are wax, you can use them on plant markers and the label won't fade in the sun or wash away in the rain.

For a party, you can put everyone's name on their wine glass. This works much better than a wine charm or colored ribbon since you don't have to remember which one is yours.

Having an assortment of colors can be handy because this is a light mark, and opposing colors – like white on a green wine bottle or black on a clear container – will show up better.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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September 2, 2014
First Aid App for Your Sunday Dog

Penny was writing one of her City Paws newspaper columns on High Tech for pets, when she came across Pet First Aid: for Your Dog, Cat, Puppy, or Kitten – Jive Media LLC. She reviewed the options, compared the offerings, and bought this one because it seems to have exactly what we would want in an emergency.

Here is her review …

While having these instructions in an emergency will be wonderful, it was the time I spent going through the app that will stand me in good stead, if the time comes when I need it.

The app provides instructions for CPR, rescue breathing, and what to do if your pet is choking. It also has sections on safely caring for a sick or wounded animal, what is normal, disaster preparedness, and a host of specific emergency situations.

We do have a complete Doggie First Aid Kit packed into our Poppy's little red travel bag. It has only been used in an emergency situation once. We were staying in Provincetown when we noticed a neighbor trying to deal with a cut paw on the beach in front of the house. I grabbed the bag and offered cleaning solution, gauze, and pet bandages to help with the dog's first aid.

Poppy Tested

As it turned out, Poppy gave the app a trial run a week after we bought it. She was coughing and gagging after eating a piece of a dog treat. Now, we have a lifetime of experience with dogs so we didn't panic. We figured she had a small piece of the biscuit caught in her throat. But it was reassuring to pop up the section on choking and review the situation.

The app takes you through the incident step by step. On the second screen, we had a check list of symptoms that would indicate that a dog is choking. She wasn't drooling, pawing at her mouth, looking anxious, didn't have labored breathing, bluish mucous membranes, and had not collapsed. (When you touch the bluish mucous membranes item on the list, you are taken to illustrations that help you identify normal and abnormal.)

What we had was a simple case of clearing her throat and within a couple of hours she was free of symptoms. But, it was good to have had that checklist right on the phone.

Related Post:

Poppy Says, "Time for Some Emergency Planning"

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs (and other critters) at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino, edited for BostonZest from her CIty Paws Newspaper Column.
Photography: ©2013-2014 Penny Cherubino

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August 31, 2014
The Mambe Pet Blanket Gets a Paws Up from All Three of Us

When you have a dog like Poppy who loves to cuddle with her people, a product like the 100% Waterproof Mambe Pet Blanket quickly becomes a family favorite.

Amazon reviewers have convinced me that the blankets are 100% waterproof. So far, our good little girl has not put them to the test.

UPDATE 1/2014: We did have a small spill on one of the sofa blankets. The protection was perfect and the blanket washed and dried easily.

But, if an accident should happen, I'm confident that our bed and furniture will be protected. The blankets are made of Polartec® so I know they are good quality and should last for years.

Here's our girl snoozing on the charcoal Mambe Pet Blanket that is covering our bed. The blanket is soft and snuggy, so she loves perching on it for watching her world or napping in comfort. We're not chasing her away because the Mambe blanket is actually easier to clean than she is.

We love it because it's not as heavy as other waterproof bed covers we've tried. This one simply replaces a blanket we would have used anyway. We have one large for our bed and small ones for the love seats Poppy loves to share with us.

When we find a great product, we want to share it with our friends and readers. We purchased our Mambe blankets from Amazon and hope that if you decide to add one to your dog or cat supplies that you'll begin your shopping right here and support the BostonZest team.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support. It doesn't cost any more for you but Amazon puts some change in our tip jar.

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Ed Cherubino
Related articles

Sunday Dog, Wellie – "What Kind of Dog Is That?"

Poppy Says, "Keep Your Dog Safe and Secure in the City"

November 10, 2013
The Mambe Pet Blanket Gets a Paws Up from All Three of Us

When you have a dog like Poppy who loves to cuddle with her people, a product like the 100% Waterproof Mambe Pet Blanket quickly becomes a family favorite.

Amazon reviewers have convinced me that the blankets are 100% waterproof. So far, our good little girl has not put them to the test.

UPDATE 1/2014: We did have a small spill on one of the sofa blankets. The protection was perfect and the blanket washed and dried easily.

But, if an accident should happen, I'm confident that our bed and furniture will be protected. The blankets are made of Polartec® so I know they are good quality and should last for years.

Here's our girl snoozing on the charcoal Mambe Pet Blanket that is covering our bed. The blanket is soft and snuggy, so she loves perching on it for watching her world or napping in comfort. We're not chasing her away because the Mambe blanket is actually easier to clean than she is.

We love it because it's not as heavy as other waterproof bed covers we've tried. This one simply replaces a blanket we would have used anyway. We have one large for our bed and small ones for the love seats Poppy loves to share with us.

When we find a great product, we want to share it with our friends and readers. We purchased our Mambe blankets from Amazon and hope that if you decide to add one to your dog or cat supplies that you'll begin your shopping right here and support the BostonZest team.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support. It doesn't cost any more for you but Amazon puts some change in our tip jar.

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Ed Cherubino
Related articles

Sunday Dog, Wellie – "What Kind of Dog Is That?"

Poppy Says, "Keep Your Dog Safe and Secure in the City"

November 10, 2013
The Mambe Pet Blanket Gets a Paws Up from All Three of Us

When you have a dog like Poppy who loves to cuddle with her people, a product like the 100% Waterproof Mambe Pet Blanket quickly becomes a family favorite.

Amazon reviewers have convinced me that the blankets are 100% waterproof. So far, our good little girl has not put them to the test.

UPDATE 1/2014: We did have a small spill on one of the sofa blankets. The protection was perfect and the blanket washed and dried easily.

But, if an accident should happen, I'm confident that our bed and furniture will be protected. The blankets are made of Polartec® so I know they are good quality and should last for years.

Here's our girl snoozing on the charcoal Mambe Pet Blanket that is covering our bed. The blanket is soft and snuggy, so she loves perching on it for watching her world or napping in comfort. We're not chasing her away because the Mambe blanket is actually easier to clean than she is.

We love it because it's not as heavy as other waterproof bed covers we've tried. This one simply replaces a blanket we would have used anyway. We have one large for our bed and small ones for the love seats Poppy loves to share with us.

When we find a great product, we want to share it with our friends and readers. We purchased our Mambe blankets from Amazon and hope that if you decide to add one to your dog or cat supplies that you'll begin your shopping right here and support the BostonZest team.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support. It doesn't cost any more for you but Amazon puts some change in our tip jar.

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Ed Cherubino
Related articles

Sunday Dog, Wellie – "What Kind of Dog Is That?"

Poppy Says, "Keep Your Dog Safe and Secure in the City"

November 10, 2013
Tips for Zipping around in Rental Cars with Your Dog

Poppy is ready to go in the back seat of a Zipcar. Both she and the car are protected.

This is a wonderful time of year to take day trips or weekends away that include your canine pals. I know we love to take Poppy along when we have adventures. But, we also need to keep the rental car or Zipcar clean. And, if you have your own car, these tips will work for you too!

Zipcar is very specific on what they require if you take your dog in one of their vehicles. The rules say,

"Can I take my pet in a Zipcar?

Yes, but only when it's kept in a locked pet carrier. Many members are allergic to pet hair so if any happen to escape the pet carrier, please clean it up before your reservation comes to an end.

Service animals used by disabled members or passengers with disabilities are an exception. These animals are allowed in the car without a pet carrier."

Traditional rental company's each have their own statement on this. We use Budget and here is what they say at the time of this writing.

"Do you permit pets in the rental car?

Answer: Housebroken pets are invited to travel in your rental car, just as they do in your personal car. Although Budget doesn't assess an extra fee for pets, pet owners will incur an additional charge for any damage caused by animals, or any special cleaning required as a result of shedding or accidents."

Poppy Loves Car Rides

Poppy loves going with us for car rides. But, we have had other dogs who suffered from motion sickness and in the past have transported rescue dogs we didn't know well. We learned that a few layers of protection and a couple of precautions were smart.

Protective Enclosure

A crate or pet carrier snugged in place with the car seatbelt will help keep your dog safer in a sudden stop or accident. It will also keep your dog from distracting the driver. We didn't take it on the short trip with Poppy (shown in the photo), but we have a great water cup that clamps on to the crate
and won't spill easily.

Protect the Car

A waterproof mat
under the crate will protect the car from water spills or any other puppy problem. We still add a disposable puppy pad
to the front of the crate from years of traveling with a car sick dog.

Do you have a tip for traveling with a dog? Please share in the comments below.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Here are a few of our favorite car travel items that are available on Amazon.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

October 13, 2013
Tips for Zipping around in Rental Cars with Your Dog

Poppy is ready to go in the back seat of a Zipcar. Both she and the car are protected.

This is a wonderful time of year to take day trips or weekends away that include your canine pals. I know we love to take Poppy along when we have adventures. But, we also need to keep the rental car or Zipcar clean. And, if you have your own car, these tips will work for you too!

Zipcar is very specific on what they require if you take your dog in one of their vehicles. The rules say,

"Can I take my pet in a Zipcar?

Yes, but only when it's kept in a locked pet carrier. Many members are allergic to pet hair so if any happen to escape the pet carrier, please clean it up before your reservation comes to an end.

Service animals used by disabled members or passengers with disabilities are an exception. These animals are allowed in the car without a pet carrier."

Traditional rental company's each have their own statement on this. We use Budget and here is what they say at the time of this writing.

"Do you permit pets in the rental car?

Answer: Housebroken pets are invited to travel in your rental car, just as they do in your personal car. Although Budget doesn't assess an extra fee for pets, pet owners will incur an additional charge for any damage caused by animals, or any special cleaning required as a result of shedding or accidents."

Poppy Loves Car Rides

Poppy loves going with us for car rides. But, we have had other dogs who suffered from motion sickness and in the past have transported rescue dogs we didn't know well. We learned that a few layers of protection and a couple of precautions were smart.

Protective Enclosure

A crate or pet carrier snugged in place with the car seatbelt will help keep your dog safer in a sudden stop or accident. It will also keep your dog from distracting the driver. We didn't take it on the short trip with Poppy (shown in the photo), but we have a great water cup that clamps on to the crate
and won't spill easily.

Protect the Car

A waterproof mat
under the crate will protect the car from water spills or any other puppy problem. We still add a disposable puppy pad
to the front of the crate from years of traveling with a car sick dog.

Do you have a tip for traveling with a dog? Please share in the comments below.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Here are a few of our favorite car travel items that are available on Amazon.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

October 13, 2013
Tips for Zipping around in Rental Cars with Your Dog

Poppy is ready to go in the back seat of a Zipcar. Both she and the car are protected.

This is a wonderful time of year to take day trips or weekends away that include your canine pals. I know we love to take Poppy along when we have adventures. But, we also need to keep the rental car or Zipcar clean. And, if you have your own car, these tips will work for you too!

Zipcar is very specific on what they require if you take your dog in one of their vehicles. The rules say,

"Can I take my pet in a Zipcar?

Yes, but only when it's kept in a locked pet carrier. Many members are allergic to pet hair so if any happen to escape the pet carrier, please clean it up before your reservation comes to an end.

Service animals used by disabled members or passengers with disabilities are an exception. These animals are allowed in the car without a pet carrier."

Traditional rental company's each have their own statement on this. We use Budget and here is what they say at the time of this writing.

"Do you permit pets in the rental car?

Answer: Housebroken pets are invited to travel in your rental car, just as they do in your personal car. Although Budget doesn't assess an extra fee for pets, pet owners will incur an additional charge for any damage caused by animals, or any special cleaning required as a result of shedding or accidents."

Poppy Loves Car Rides

Poppy loves going with us for car rides. But, we have had other dogs who suffered from motion sickness and in the past have transported rescue dogs we didn't know well. We learned that a few layers of protection and a couple of precautions were smart.

Protective Enclosure

A crate or pet carrier snugged in place with the car seatbelt will help keep your dog safer in a sudden stop or accident. It will also keep your dog from distracting the driver. We didn't take it on the short trip with Poppy (shown in the photo), but we have a great water cup that clamps on to the crate
and won't spill easily.

Protect the Car

A waterproof mat
under the crate will protect the car from water spills or any other puppy problem. We still add a disposable puppy pad
to the front of the crate from years of traveling with a car sick dog.

Do you have a tip for traveling with a dog? Please share in the comments below.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Here are a few of our favorite car travel items that are available on Amazon.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

October 13, 2013
A Stir Fry with an Eastern European Twist: Kielbasa, Cabbage, and Apple

Once you master the technique of making a stir fry, you can take that cooking method out of Asian cuisine and apply it to another culture.

Kielbasa, cabbage, and apple stir-fry.

One of my favorite cool weather stir fries is this one with cabbage, kielbasa, apple, and onion. A bit of apple cider creates a broth. Some garlic, juniper, and mustard seeds add some spice.

Where will you take your stir fry skills? Do you toss together a dish that is basically a stir fry but is inspired by a culture other than Asian? Please, share your ideas with us.

The pan in this photo has become the work horse of my kitchen during the past year. It just fits our cooking-for-two lifestyle. It's the All-Clad Stainless Steel 4 Quart Essential Pan with Lid. It works for stir fries, soups, and stews.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

October 7, 2013
A Stir Fry with an Eastern European Twist: Kielbasa, Cabbage, and Apple

Once you master the technique of making a stir fry, you can take that cooking method out of Asian cuisine and apply it to another culture.

Kielbasa, cabbage, and apple stir-fry.

One of my favorite cool weather stir fries is this one with cabbage, kielbasa, apple, and onion. A bit of apple cider creates a broth. Some garlic, juniper, and mustard seeds add some spice.

Where will you take your stir fry skills? Do you toss together a dish that is basically a stir fry but is inspired by a culture other than Asian? Please, share your ideas with us.

The pan in this photo has become the work horse of my kitchen during the past year. It just fits our cooking-for-two lifestyle. It's the All-Clad Stainless Steel 4 Quart Essential Pan with Lid. It works for stir fries, soups, and stews.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

October 7, 2013