Have you ever wanted a water bottle that could hold both hot and cold liquids at the same time and could get smaller once you drank some of what was in it? Or could turn into two water bottle if you happen to find yourself sharing with someone who’s a little bit grubby? Well inventors have been monitoring your brain waves and created what you have always wanted.

OK, they really haven’t been monitoring your brain waves, but what they came up with is pretty amazing. The Golchi water bottle started out as a Kickstarter project that now has more than reached its funding goal. The Golchi holds two beverages of different temperatures at once, goes from big to small or one to two bottles in an instant, and has 15 features to customize it and make it the most versatile water bottle we’ve ever even imagined.

Golchi is vacuum insulated stainless steel, like all good bottles are, but has two separate compartments that allow you to store two different beverages, for those cross-country ski trips where you want both hot coffee and cold water. Or you want a smoothie and tea for your workout days. The site even suggests carrying water for mom and hot water and baby formula for the infant in one convenient item. You can switch it up to four different configurations fro, Double Decker, holding dual compartments for two different beverages, Jumbo, which turns it into a single container plus a dry storage, Traditional, which is just your everyday bottle, or Golchi Mini, which splits your Golchi into two standalone bottles.

Imagine…hot water and oatmeal, hot water and granola, coffee and cream, tomato soup and crackers, cold water and coffee, smoothie and coffee….it’s mind-boggling what this thing can do. And it comes in six colors.

Golchi image from Golchi’s Kickstarter page at Kickstarter.com

Summertime means more people are out and about, including bringing their four-legged friends along. While the weather’s warm and the living is easy, as they say, there are more things out in the environment that can cause problems with animals. Protect your pet with pet first aid and have a pet first aid kit on hand when you’re out in the heat.

Take a pet first-aid course.

The American Red Cross offers pet first aid classes. Find one through your local chapter. In this class you can learn how to treat basic wounds in your animals, how to help if your pet is choking, how to identify signs of heatstroke, how to handle poison, and many other situations that can arise out of the blue that you may not be prepared for.

Items for your pet first aid kit. 

The Humane Society has a list of items it recommends to have on hand in a pet first aid kit. We can’t argue with any of its advice, and we’re giving a basic outline here, but the one item the Humane Society does not list in its kit that we think is important is a bag of treats! If you have to use tweezers or pliers to get something out of your pet’s paw,or if your best friend gets stung on the face and nose by a swarm of angry bees as happened to my dog once, that poor animal sure deserves a treat afterward, don’t you think? Keep a kit at home as well as in your car, and prepare a travel-friendly version if you’re going to be away from your usual stash of supplies.

Here are some items for your pet first aid kit.

Extra collar, ID tag and leash

You never know when you might lose one.

Vet information and medical records

Note your veterinarian’s name and number, and print out the medical records in case you have to go somewhere where they are not familiar with your animal. If you’re traveling somewhere, take a moment to look in advance to locate a vet’s office as well as an emergency clinic, just in case. No one wants to be camping or somewhere where there isn’t phone service and be stuck trying to figure out where you can take your dog in an emergency when you have no one to ask.

Basic First Aid Supplies

Think of the basic items that you would pack for a human first aid kit. Pack basic bandaging items such as gauze and tape, a thermometer and petroleum jelly for lubrication and disposable gloves, antiseptic soap or cleaning solution.

Scissors

In case you need to open packaging, cut off a collar, or cut off something the animal has gotten into.

Tweezers/pliers

You can use these items to remove bee stinger or ticks. The pliers might be useful if the animal gets into something bigger than what you can handle with tweezers, such as a nail or splinter of some sort stuck in a paw or if he or she gets wrapped up in a tangled piece of wire. You never know what’s out there.

Allergy medication

Ask a veterinarian for supervision on what medication might be good to keep on hand for your particular pet. A vet must determine the correct dosage. My dog once was walking on a leash with me along a lakeshore when he accidentally stepped on an underground bee nest. Both he and I got stung repeatedly. He was really uncomfortable and I was scared! If I’d had something on hand to help him, he would have felt better a lot faster.

Calming medication

This is another one to get your veterinarian’s advice on. You may end up in a place with a severe thunderstorm that could scare your dog as much as fireworks do. Or, if there is a weather disaster or other unexpected event, you may be grateful to have the calming medication on hand until you can get somewhere safe. Wouldn’t hurt to have some calming medication on hand for humans too, now that I think about it!

Booties

It’s not a bad idea to make booties to protect your dog’s paws a part of your every day attire, but at any event, keep a pair in your kit in case of emergency. You may spontaneously end up somewhere with hot sand, hot pavement or other uncomfortable conditions. Humans wear shoes, so we don’t usually think much about the surface we’re walking on but dogs are directly in contact. Booties help protect their paws from any weather condition or terrain.

Baking soda

A baking soda and water paste can be applied to soothe skin conditions from bug bites to skunk spray. You can also sprinkle baking soda on your dog to give them a freshening dry bath if they’ve gotten into something and you can’t properly bathe them.

Plastic baggies

Because you never know when you’ll need to collect something you don’t want to handle with your bare hands.

An emergency chew toy

What if his favorite chew toy gets lost? Or you forget to bring it? This way you won’t have to worry about him chewing on your sneakers or the expensive hotel towels.

Particular needs for your pet

If your dog is diabetic, you might need to keep on hand some sugar syrup, for instance. Perhaps eye drops or nail clippers would get used in your household.

If someone is taking care of your pet while you’re away, make sure they know where you keep your first aid kit and your records. If you’re going away and you’re not taking your animals with you, inform your veterinarian who you have left in charge of your animals, just in case there happens to be an emergency visit. Don’t lose valuable time if the vet has to track you down to make sure they have approval to treat your pets.

What do you keep in your pet first aid kit? Let us know!

If Elide Fire has its way, the vertical fire hydrant “spray cans” will be a thing of the past. They’ve created an exploding fire extinguisher ball that just makes so much sense.

When you’re in a fire, how close do you really want to be to it? Yes, fire extinguishers can spray a few feet, but chances are you can throw a ball farther than you can stand in the face of heat and flame and hold down a trigger. Elide Fire’s fire balls are filled with the same chemicals in other fire extinguishers, but are activated by tossing them toward the fire.

They are designed to activate within three seconds of being exposed to flame. They also sound an alarm when activated. The great thing about these fire extinguishers is that they can activate even when no one is around to throw them. For instance, the majority of fires in a home start in the kitchen as a result of cooking, and chances are someone will be around when that happens. However, a large portion of fires in the home start in an unoccupied area such as a carport, attic or basement. Placing one of these red balls in those areas can be just the peace of mind you need, knowing that they will trigger themselves even if no one is home.

Another great thing about these devices is that even a kid could learn how to toss them in the direction of a flame, as opposed to the complicated instructions that accompany most hand-held fire extinguishers.

The Extinguisher Ball has a lifespan of five years and can be mounted or strategically placed wherever you feel you need it to be handy. If you’re not ready to replace your other fire extinguishers yet, why not take a moment now to check them. Are they expired? Were they used and never refilled? How’s the pressure on it? (There should be a pressure gauge indicating that it is filled and ready.) Is your fire extinguisher still in the best spot in the house? Does everyone in the home know where it is and how to use it?

Image from linkedin.com

 

There’s a good chance that if you’re reading this blog, sitting around a fire is on your list of enjoyable past times. It doesn’t really matter whether the flame is big or small, on the beach, in the woods or in your backyard, does it?

Propane is cool–um, make that hot–but nothing beats the smoke and heat of wood or charcoal. It’s one thing to assume that a manicured campground will have a fire ring, but what if you’re not sure where you’ll end up? Or you’re going to a friend’s apartment where the only connection to the outdoors is a concrete slab for a patio, but you want that smoke-tinged hot dog anyway? It’s not always easy to take that summertime feeling with you, but with Ikea’s Broki Fire Basket, you can.

The whole thing is less than 2 feet tall and is only 7 inches wide at the top, making it highly portable. Of course, this also means that it can only fit small logs, but who cares when there’s a warm and gooey marshmallow hovering above it? As per the usual for Ikea, the firepit is clean-lined and affordable, at only $30. Unfortunately though, it’s for sale in-store only.

We found a couple of other affordable portable fire pits that seem really cool. Um. You know what we mean.

The Cool Material Fire Basket is made of oxidized steel. At 22 inches wide and 24 inches high with a 12-inch diameter, it’s still pretty portable. The price tag is a tad higher, though, at $200.

The Grab ‘N Go Wood Burning Fire Pit from All Modern lives up to its name. It’s 26-inches around with collapsible, folding legs that lock into place to provide stable support. It comes with a canvas carry case with handles, so it feels just like carrying around a folding chair in a bag. Just a touch heavier than a chair, the fire pit is a mere 8.8 pounds. No tools are necessary for assembly and it’ll set you back only $76. It even includes a poker.

See ya around the fire!

Fireworks are a symbol of our nation’s independence and we have celebrated the Fourth of July with backyard displays and city-sponsored spectacles for decades. While “everyone does it,” there’s no doubt, though, that fireworks can pose a serious safety hazard.

Every year news outlets follow the holiday with reports of people who had fireworks blow up in their face, or had their house burn down because of fireworks flame. Don’t be one of those victims! Follow these tips to have a safe and fun experience with fireworks.

1. Know the statistics. According to a 2015 report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

  • an estimated 10,500  fireworks injuries were treated in emergency rooms in 2014
  • most (67%) of those injuries happen between June 20 and July 20
  • of those treated injuries, 74% were to males
  • 35% of those injuries were to children under the age of 15
  • children age 5 to 9 had the highest rate of injury
  • 1,400 injuries were reported from sparklers, 100 from bottle rockets and 1,400 from firecrackers
  • 54% of the injuries were burns

2. Obey your local laws. Fireworks are banned or regulated differently in different places. You can avoid legal trouble by respecting the laws of your state or city. If fireworks are not legal where you live, don’t use them.

3. Read the label before igniting. Know what your firework will do before you light the fuse. Some hover close to the ground while others shoot sky high.

4. Always have responsible, sober adult supervision. Never give kids fireworks to use on their own. Don’t let kids wander off with fireworks, even if they have things that seem “harmless” like sparklers. Fires can be cause by lit sparklers touching combustible material.

5. Light only one at a time. If you light several at once and something goes wrong with one, you won’t be able to help if others are going off at the same time. After you light the fuse, move away and keep your distance.

6. Use fireworks outdoors only, in a well-cleared space. The area should be free of obstacles and clear of anything flammable. Fireworks contain toxic chemicals and metals to make the colors, and the smoke they create is hazardous to breathe. You don’t want that in your home.

7. Keep a hose or bucket of water handy at all times. Keep a water source or fire extinguisher nearby at all times in case something goes wrong. Give one responsible person the task of managing the water if necessary.

8. Be mindful of where the fireworks will come down. Some states allow the fireworks that shoot up in the air. If you have that kind, make sure it won’t land on your or your neighbor’s house or outbuildings.

9. Be mindful of wildfire warnings and wind speed. Some cities will limit fireworks usage if the weather is extremely dry or windy. These limitations are in place to ensure everyone’s safety, so heed those warnings.

9. Never try to relight a “dud” or throw it in a fire. If a firework doesn’t light or malfunctions, don’t attempt to relight it. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes, then place it in water and dispose of properly.

10. Don’t modify or experiment with fireworks. Fireworks should only be used as they come in the package and by following proper lighting instructions.

11. Dispose of spent fireworks properly. Allow a spent firework to cool completely before handling, about 20 minutes. Place the used fireworks in a bucket of water to soak. Once it is fully soaked and cold, dispose of in the trash.