The Stars Have Aligned

Happy April! What a strange month March was for me. I had the chance to hit some golf balls and go to a country club. Full disclosure, a friend of mine had his golf clubs in his pickup, and we smacked them into the hay field. I was at a country club because Jordan is starting to take on different shows, and until she has her licence, I am the driver. But those are two things that happened that I would not have guessed. The streak continues with the monthly Man Blog coming out on Tuesday for the weekly special, and the weekly special being our shave soaps.

As a guy with follicular disabilities, I've always been picky about shaving cream. I am not fussy about anything. I am content with a generic coffee in our coffee pot at the house. I prefer gas station refills over Starbucks. Aside from the Cohiba, I would much rather have a Swisher Sweet cigar than most fancy cigars. I never thought I had any skin sensitivities because good old WD-40 was always a great way to get the first layer of grease off my hands while working on equipment. But when it came to shaving, I could only ever use one type of shaving cream. Anything else, and I would have had an itchy rash for most of the morning and never felt exceptionally smooth.

When Tina started making soap, it wasn't long before a shaving bar was on the list. As supportive as I try to be, only two things in the world drive me up a wall: an itchy head and face post-shave and change. So I did what I do best; I avoided change by sticking with the tried and true can of shaving cream. Eventually, the can ran out and I was in a pinch. Tina does all the shopping, and darling wife refused to buy any more shaving cream, so I was forced to change to our shaving soap. The first time I used our shaving soap, I was impressed with the razor's glide over my skin. It seemed to be a lot smoother than my trusted can of foam. I was still a bit concerned about the dreaded neck rash afterwards. But, it was my most comfortable shaving experience. I must say, it has exceeded my expectations!

The first thing I noticed was the lather our shaving soap produces. A small amount goes a long way, creating dense foam that glides effortlessly over the skin. This is crucial for a bald head, as it helps protect against nicks and cuts while providing a close shave. One of the standout features of our shaving soap is its moisturizing properties. My scalp tends to get dry, especially after shaving, but our soap leaves my skin feeling hydrated and smooth. The natural ingredients work wonders in preventing irritation and dryness. It's almost like my darling wife knows what she's talking about and does thorough research. I'm kidding, I may tease her a lot, but she really knocks it out of the park when developing a new product.

Another highlight of our shave soaps is the scents, or lack thereof. I use all three varieties, depending on which one we recently made and have bunged up bars or slivers of ends. I always say you can't go wrong with Milk and Honey. The Manly Man is a good fit, depending on what soap we currently have in the shower. I do like to mix and match scents. Sometimes I am overloaded with sniffing all the different scents and prefer the unscented. Neither of our scented varieties is overpowering, which is perfect for someone like me who prefers subtle fragrances.

I always had the impression that to be into shaving soap, you had to have a shaving dish, fourteen different brushes, and a straight razor. I have found using Harry's razors works excellently for me. I have also found that the razors last longer with our shaving soap than shaving cream. Using this shaving soap is incredibly easy. I simply lather it with my hands while in the shower and apply it to my scalp. The soap rinses off easily, leaving no residue behind, which is a plus for my morning routine. It has been so long since I paid for a haircut and spent time getting my hair cut, I can't comprehend having to make an appointment, waiting to be put in the chair, and having to make small talk. At the same time, my personal space is being invaded, and then I am scheduling another appointment at the end, being bald suits me and my personality.

Our shaving soap has proven to be an exceptional choice for anyone seeking a superior shaving experience. Its rich lather, nourishing ingredients, and delightful fragrance combine to create a product that enhances the comfort of shaving and elevates the entire grooming ritual. The ease of application and skin-soothing properties make it suitable for most skin types, ensuring a smooth and irritation-free shave every time. Whether you are a seasoned wet shaver or new to the practice, this shaving soap is undoubtedly a worthy addition.

On this chilly first day of April, try something new: smack some golf balls, visit a country club, or try a new shaving experience. As the great GrammaBarb once said, trying something new won't kill you. So far, she hasn't been wrong. Until next month, stay safe and wash on.

Being Spoiled

My victorious little egg pirate

We really need our goats to give birth so we have some milk to work with, and my husband has something to do. With everyone being dried off and preparing for kidding season, The Bibbed Wonder is at a loss for productive things to do. Not to mention, he is driving me a little crazy. To date, he has swept out the barn, knocking down more than a decade's worth of cobwebs. He has planted my arbivitea trees, which were planted in large pots but got knocked over and broken in the last big storm. He has painted fence posts black. The soap studio is spotless and organized. He has pressure-washed the livestock trailer, truck, and lawn mower. He has given every piece of equipment we own a tune-up, and he is being rather agreeable to all my hair-brained ideas. It's a bit unnerving.

With his lack of "balls to the wall" self-imposed pressure, he has taken to "dating his mate" at least once a week. He invites me to lunch or breakfast once or twice a week and always giggles, saying he "read in Ladies Home Journal it is important to date your mate to keep the romance alive." He then follows this statement with his "sexy kitty" purr and scratchy paws hand gestures. For the record, I'm not even sure Ladies Home Journal is still in publication, let alone that he has a copy. He's a lot, but he's a lot of fun and never fails to make me laugh.

I shared that my new incubator arrived last week. My darling husband is 100% on board with me incubating eggs, which in itself is odd. He does a lot of complaining about my ungrateful geese and says the only thing that makes the chickens tolerable are their "butt nuggets." Sigh. Why he is so supportive of my egg-hatching obsession is beyond me, but I am going with it and am not looking a gift horse in the mouth. His dedication is so complete that he agreed to one of the most hair-brained ideas I have had in my history of hair-brained ideas. (Trust me, that list is long and spans decades.)

We have a paddle boat that was gifted to us by our lovely neighbors. The thought was that The Bean would enjoy it, but after approximately $100 spent on life vests and one maiden voyage, she refused to ride in it again. To her credit, a rather large water snake followed her around the pond and scared the bejeebies out of her. So, the boat has sat anchored in place for a few years. I was not even confident the thing was seaworthy. However, I randomly suggested we clean it up and paddle it out to the little island in the middle of the pond to steal the goose eggs from the nest on the island. Imagine my surprise when I returned from my walk with my canine bestie, and The Bibbed Wonder was bailing out the back of the boat.

I walked down to the pond and asked if he needed help, trying to hide my shock at his agreeability. He said," No, you're spoiled," and continued to dump water. He then informed me I was riding the paddle boat out to the island because the boat cannot hold him. I don't know if I have ever told you I am deathly afraid of water, so my immediate response was "Oh, hell no! What if it sinks? What if it capsizes? I will get hypothermia and drown! I don't want to die a watery death. No, no, no!" He tormented me a bit more, then sighed, told me I was spoiled, and crawled into the boat.

He originally started out on the right side of the boat, but it looked like it would tip. I asked if he could try sitting in the middle to balance it. He did and then peddled on both sides, not making much progress. I had to wade into the pond and give him a good push, biting my nails while waiting for the boat to take on water. It was a slow and precarious ride to the middle of the pond. However, he did make it out there safely.

He gathered four eggs, one of which was badly cracked and could not be incubated. He held up the eggs like a victorious pirate and began the slow paddle back to shore. I was relieved he was back on land and grateful for his efforts to get me goose eggs for my latest obsession. He's a good one; I will keep him for today. Tomorrow, I may sell him to the highest bidder, but today, he is golden.

The goose eggs

Currently, I am incubating seven goose eggs. Tonight, I can candle them to see if they are viable. I hope all seven eggs hatch, and I will have seven little goslings to raise by hand. Eric hopes I agree to selling all the babies. We shall see. I may need to keep my first hatchlings because they are special. I will keep you posted on the progress of the eggs.

On this rainy Monday, stay safe, be smart, date your mate, stay busy, find someone to make all your hair-brained ideas a reality, and keep washing your hands.

Foodie Friday: Porcupine Meatballs

Image provided by The Magical Slow Cooker

Here on the farm, my crockpot gets a workout. With the impending kidding season fast approaching, I am getting my crockpot recipes in order and stocking up on the ingredients. Many of my recipes come from my Fix-It and Forget-It cookbook or The Magical Slow Cooker website. Today's recipe can be found on The Magical Slow Cooker. The kidding season is a few weeks out, but I am just as busy with this never-ending God-forsaken painting project. My kitchen is a mess. The cabinet doors have been removed, drawer fronts are off, cabinet contents are stacked and piled on every flat surface, and laundry baskets are acting as impromptu storage for food.

The Bibbed Wonder and The Bean complain about my lack of meal preparation. Eric informed Jordan that this kitchen project is one of those projects where mom doesn't cook. Last night, we had fried egg sandwiches. We have an overabundance of eggs, and the meal took minimal effort. Although they are fed, it is not up to their standards. My family will riot if I don't make something "meaty and delicious." Insert an eye roll and a long, dramatic sigh. Tonight, the menu will be porcupine meatballs with roasted carrots and rice. I can cook the meatballs in the crockpot while I paint, the rice cooker is a hands-free way to cook the rice, and roasted carrots are an easy fix. That is the game plan, but it is Friday, and Fridays are a good day to order pizza. Saturdays are too. Insert a contemplative stare.

No, tonight it is meatballs. Tomorrow, it is Romeo's Pizza. So, allow me to share the recipe for "meaty and delicious" porcupine meatballs.

Porcupine Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs extra lean ground beef

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. pepper

• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup finely diced onions

• 1/3 cup barbecue sauce

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1 cup crushed crackers, I use Ritz

• 1 cup instant rice, don't use standard rice

  
  

  Sauce:

• 2 cups ketchup, I use Heinz

• 1/2 cup Sweet Baby Rays Barbecue Sauce

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Directions:

• In a large bowl, add the meatball ingredients except the rice. With clean hands, mix these ingredients together. Add the rice and mix evenly. Form the balls. I made them about the size of 2 tablespoons. I made a total of 20 meatballs.

  
  

• Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until combined.

  
  

• Spray the slow cooker with non-stick spray. Layer the meatballs in the crockpot and cover with the sauce.

  
  

• Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.

If you have a busy weekend planned, this recipe provides a "meaty and delicious" meal with little effort. If you try it, I hope you enjoy it. Remember, wherever you live, a family or independently owned pizza joint will be happy to provide you with an effortless meal. If your family complains, tell them God loves an independent man/child/woman and feed them an egg sandwich. On this overcast spring Friday, stay safe, be smart, complete your projects, and wash your hands.