Earlier today I was organizing my “desk top junk drawer” – which led to me noticing I was almost out of hair “ties” – stretchy kind that are so useful “around the house”
Of the top of my head I can tell you at least a dozen things I use these that have NOTHING to do with my hair.
Then a few hours later, I was browsing in Instacart (useful for comparison shopping in many ways) and used hair ties as the search term:
What does this have to do with Women In The Trades?
Look closely at these “Cable Ties” shown in the ALDI’s Non-Food offerings.
This is a work in progress, so I welcome ALL comments and suggestions. among other things, I need to find a freely available link to the User Manual.
Reminder: Hell will freeze over before I use delayed start in my personal use of any thing other than the Coffee Maker.
I STRONGLY recommend you read thru at least once before you start, as I prefer to make notes “as I go”
I try to work with the least common denominator for most directions, so for recipes, that usually means Ounces & Minutes then at the end convert back a measurement in final draft, i.e. 1 hour = 60 min or 10 ounces = 1.25 Cup(s)
KBS/Keepeez User Manual Model MBR-041 page 28 Settings: Menu: 1 (Soft/Basic/) Color: MD (Medium) Loaf: 1.5 lb Total…Time: 3H:06M Medium Crust, H/h = Hour(s) M/m = Minutes ONE (1) Hour = 60 minutes.
“Total Working Time” Convert 3h:06m – 196m
The best time to remove the paddle is the END of the SHAPE BEFORE the start of the FINAL Ferment
In Menu 1 – END of SHAPE BEFORE START of FERMENT 3.
Please keep in mind that many things may affect the time shown on the display. It just happens, accept it and plan to be “around” on average about 5-10 minutes BEFORE the expected time.
To determine WHEN the time is:
CHANGE Total time to MINUTES: 3h:06m = 3 x 60 + 6 = 191 minutes
SUBTRACT “Bake Time” 191m – 50m = 142m
SUBTRACT “FERMENT 3” 142m – 50m = 92m
At 92, you should be at the end of the SHAPE.
CONVERT 92m to H:M 92-60 – 1h 32m
Reminder, KBS/KEEPEZ are “count down” so display will show approximately 92 minutes OR 1:32 (1h 32m)
SIDE NOTE: This is also, in my experience/opinion, ALSO the best time to make any swirl for inclusions
Again this is a draft and I do very much welcome your comments and suggests to make it easier for you to use.
This method is SOLELY base on the various charts produce by the manufacturer and my personal experience.
This method contains to affiliate links as of 2026-Aug-01
So maybe a little over 50 years ago, well over 250 and about 50 inches at the shoulder, Mastiff named Titan, got lose in New Rochelle. It resulted in the need to rehome him, dye his coat from Brindle to Black to avoid unhappy consequences and tagging him at a new home until the “heat died down”.
The call that went out over the local PD was “wild pony on the loose…”
at 3am thought of the day
Owning a Large Dog like a Mastiff or a Dane is the equivalent of having an in house dog and pony show….
FLOUR & Other Dry Storage: My “system” currently uses some “lock tight” Containers intended for Cereal, but that hold a 5 lb bag of Flour. This started when I was still able to manage the Fresh Milled Flour process so I could break up the steps that allowed me to fit it into my version(s) of 10-20-30 minutes bits as my work and family time allowed.
To see the closest match I could find, this is an affiliate link, but it is used for illustration in this case. I bought mine from ALDI years ago and you may also find them locally at a better price, https://amzn.to/4v5J79R edited 2026-08-01: This size, with a little effort, will hold a 5 lb bag of flour.
Humidity & Moisture Control: Every few years I buy a 10 or so pack of 50 gram Moisture Absorbers. When you live an area subject to humidity and other weather related issues, and your apartment is only 700 square feet, ideal storage is NOT Always available. I also keep & use reuse a supplie of 5g, 10g, and 20g for use the dry herbs & spices I buy in bulk – small for the “daily use” bottles and the larger as needed for the “back up storage” And, yes, in those 1 lb bags of dry yeast too. ncidentally EVERY Dry Ingredient and the mixes I make up in advance all are stored in air tight containers with Moisture absorbers.
I leave Flour, sugar, rice in their bag, put the bag, place it into the the Air Tight containers along with appropriately sized Moisture Absorbers. This habit means I pretty much never has to worry about humidity. Since barometric pressure is out side my control, I don’t bake on “weather headache” days. Combining air tight containers with moisture absorbers and a dedicated selected size dry measure
o see the closest match I could find, this is an affiliate link, but it is used for illustration in this case. https://amzn.to/4bLoWqe
Last but not least, each container has a “dedicated” dry measure cup in the size most often needed. the exception is flours used in breads. those has two, a one (1) cup & a half (1/2) cup. Vital Wheat gluten has a eighth (1/8) cup. These stay in that container so ALL measuring from that ingredient is consistent.
Bulk yeast has the spoon that came with the KBS/Keepeez bread machine. Again, consistent measuring.
This also means less cleanup most of the time. Measure the dry ingredient into a pan or bowl, and back into the container for next time.
