(In no particular order – I intend to organize this in some fashion at some point in the future)
Cat Stuff
Axi-dent Pet Odor Neutralizer. It’s the only stuff we’ve ever used that immediately wipes out the smell of cat pee when a cat has peed on the bed or a chair (no longer a problem, thank god).
Cat Fence. We have a fenced-in back yard, but the cats were climbing over it and running off, the little bastards. Fred found this electric cat fence online, we ordered it, and we’ve rarely had a problem since. You’re thinking “That’s mean! Electrocuting a cat so it won’t do what’s natural!”, aren’t you? Well, cats are smart. The collars have a warning beep so that if they get too close to the electric boundary, the collar beeps. If they keep going, it beeps again, and if they keep going, they get zapped. They learn very quickly what the beep means, and where they can go.
Fresh Step Scoopable Cat Litter. They recently came out with a new formula, with (they claimed) odor-eliminating carbon. I was skeptical – I’ve been an Arm & Hammer litter user for several years now – but willing to give it a try. I tried it – and it’s pretty freakin’ awesome. The litter box stank has been reduced by, I would estimate, 75%. In fact, the only time the litter box smells is when one of the little bastards poops and then doesn’t cover up the pile. And even that smell fades pretty quickly with the help of the Fresh Step. It’s amazing!
The Gonzo Pet Odor Eliminator (bottom of the page). (Note: It’s a mesh bag of little white rocks. After about 10 months of use, leave the bag in direct sunlight for six hours to “recharge.”) When we have two rooms of foster cats, like we did for a while, it’s not convenient to have to run the bags o’ waste to the big trash can every time I scoop out the litter box, because I scoop out the litter boxes several times a day. I put a small trash can next to the litter box, put a Gonzo Pet Odor Eliminator in the bottom of the can, and then put a small trash bag on top of that. I scoop the litter box waste into the trash can all day long, and between the Fresh Step litter and the Gonzo Pet Odor Eliminator, it doesn’t stink in the foster rooms at ALL. I also keep a small trash can next to our cats’ litter box, put the Odor Eliminator in the bottom of that trash can, and at night when I do the last litter box cleaning, I leave the (tied-up) bag of waste in the trash can overnight. Next morning, no stank!
Two-Door Deluxe Carrier. We have three of these carriers (in the larger size) and they are AWESOME. Open the top, drop the cat in, close the top. Super easy!
Cleaning
All-purpose cleaning concoction. I use this stuff to clean EVERYTHING.
Dyson. I have the Dyson Animal, but I do believe the only difference between the Animal and the less-expensive model is that the Animal comes with so many attachments. I hardly ever use any attachment except the turbine (which I use on the stairs), so I might have been okay with the regular model. I’ve had it a couple of years now, and still love it as much as I did when I first got it!
Clothing & Accessories
The Enell sports bra. Best sports bra EVER (and I had one before Oprah even knew who they were!). They make me look barrel-chested and kind of funny, but when you put one of those babies on, your boobs do NOT move and that can only be a good thing.
What’s your bra size? This site was the most helpful site ever when it came to measuring myself for a bra. For the first time in my life, I’m wearing a bra that fits, and it makes one hell of a lot of difference.
The Olga Perfect Fit Full Figure Underwire Bra #35069. The strap fits around me. The cups are perfect. And the best part? The bands on the side are big enough that they hold in all that flab on the side of my boobs and yet are just the right degree of firmness; firm, but not tight. Obviously it’s not the bra for everyone, but I love and adore the hell out of it.
The Ameribag Healthy Back Bag. I get mine from LL Bean (they occasionally have them on clearance at excellent prices), but you can find them all over the place. The regular (sometimes called “medium”) works best for me – it holds all my crap, along with a bottle of water and a book. Some people might find that it has too many pockets, but I love how many pockets this thing has – a pocket for everything!
Toys
Sony Cybershot DSC-P200. I have one, Fred has one, and we love them. They’re small enough to carry around with us all the time, easy to use, and they take some really good pictures.
Along with the camera, I have a Gorillapod. It’s a small tripod that’s lightweight, compact, bendable, wrappable and easy to carry. I carry mine around in my purse – I haven’t used it a lot, but when I need it, it comes in very, very handy. I love it!
iPod. I have a refurbished iPod Mini that I got from the Apple store about a year ago (I don’t think you can get them from Apple anymore, but I saw a refurbished Nano while I was looking around over there a minute ago), and I LOVE IT. I’m going to start saving up for a video iPod one of these days, not because I don’t already adore the iPod Mini, but because I want to be able to download shows and watch them on my iPod the two times a year I travel!
And going along with the iPod Mini recommendation, I highly recommend the Keith and the Girl podcasts. They crack me up, hard, at least once every podcast, and sometimes more.
Miscellaneous
Maine pictures. These guys take the most amazing Maine pictures; they’re absolutely gorgeous. I own two of them myself, and the only reason I don’t own more is because I don’t have a place to hang them!
Say’s Soap and Candle Stand. This woman makes the most amazing-smelling candles. Her Almond Joyful scent always makes me want to pick up the candle and eat it. Yum!
Subversive Cross Stitch. The most amazing cross stitch kits (or, if you’re a pro, just the patterns); delightfully subversive. Every time I check out the page, I find something new to buy. They have very cool coasters and magnets, too!
If I’ve mentioned something I love in the past, or there’s a category of stuff you’d like to see listed here, feel free to let me know!