Quinoa most definitely IS a carb- however, it is a carb with a lot of protein (like beans and wheat germ). I am not a big fan of the flavor of quinoa so I havent tried the pasta. There are some really gnarly whole wheat pastas out there-- if you are averse to the taste or texture of whole wheat, two brands I recommend are de cecco and bio naturae. My local grocery recently started carrying both-- before that, I found them at the health food store. In the whole scheme of things, pasta is not the worst thing you can eat-- the key is portion control. I don't know about you all, but pasta is one of the things with which I can easily over indulge. A few healthy tips for pasta: 1. cook it al dente. Overcooking pasta increases its glycemic index-- meaning it is digested faster and spikes your blood sugar which can cause you to overeat. 2. ALWAYS serve a pasta with a protein-- chick peas, chicken, chicken sausage, lean beef, tofu. Protein satisfies your hunger the most effectively and helps you to be satisfied on a modest serving size. 3. Add fiber (and nutrients)-- whole grain pasta, spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, beans, etc. all add fiber and nutrients to your pasta. The extra bulk helps fill you up faster and also slows digestion so that your blood sugar doesnt spike. 4. Start with a salad or antipasto-- and use an oil and vinegar dressing. This will keep you from filling up on pasta and the extra fiber and the acid slow down digestion. 5. Be mindful of the serving size -- cereal and pasta are two things we can easily overestimate the serving sizes. 1/2 a cup is a typical serving size but check the box. Restaurants often serve enough pasta for 4 servings. Oy! Serving pasta with a salad and protein really helps to keep the serving size in line. 6. Consider replacing the pasta in some of your meals with a veggie. Some people embrace spaghetti squash-- I really like using zucchini. I make a zucchini torte that is basically my old lasagna recipe substituting zucchini ribbons for the pasta. I prefer it to lasagna and everyone who has tried it has raved about it.

My first salt potatoes upstate NY were in a 5 lb thick paper bag with a salt packet included. It was a fine powered salt like flour. And small 'new potatoes'. Still cold and damp as if they were freshly dug that day. Once drained, the salty power sticks to the skins like a fog. Not overly salty. Heavenly. Good with any outdoor august grill. Fresh corn, succotash, bbq chicken. Thick slices of garden tomatoes.

You can use either Epsom Salts or Sea Salts in your bath salt recipes. Here in the U.S., Epsom Salt is very cheap and easy to come by, which is why it is so popular. Here is a recipe from another board I belong to that you may find useful. As for what each ingredient does, I can't answer that one. I have never made bath salts although I have toyed with the idea (just haven't gotten around to it yet). Susan Bath Salts Sea salt, Epsom salts, or borax (one or a combination of all three) Essential oil in desired fragrance Food coloring Dried herbs such as rose petals or rosemary (optional) Powdered milk to moisturize skin (optional) Glass bottles or jars Combine the salts and add the oil one drop at a time. Gradually add coloring until the desired color is achieved. Add the dried herbs and powdered milk. Transfer the salts to decorative bottles or jars, and apply labels. Sprinkle the salts into your bathwater as the tub fills to release the aroma from the essential oil. Note: if you're using dried herbs in the recipe, tie the salts in a small muslin bundle before adding to the bath water so that the botanical material won't cling to your skin or clog the drain. _________________ Bright blessings, Rachel - Board Moderator/Owner http://www.scentbyspirit.com

Our powder room is at the front of a very long laundry room, just inside the back door in the kitchen. In trying to eliminate doorways from our kitchen to make room for more cabinets, several people made the suggestion of removing the kitchen/laundry door, and putting the entrance to the laundry in the dining room. Not a terrible idea on its own, but I shut it down quick. As it is now, I have a curtain dividing the functional laundry from the part that’s essentially a vestibule for the powder room. Moving the door would have taken visitors through the laundry room. And that is absolutely a no go for me. We are considering taking down same door and trimming it as a doorway, because in 8 years in this house I don’t think the door has been closed once. But now I’m really intrigued by the idea of a swinging door. Or possibly just putting a pneumatic door closer on it. Hmmmmm. Back to your situation... Aside from not having much room for sorting and keeping baskets, I think your architects plan would be ok if there were room for some type of door, but it doesn’t look like it. I would like your plan with the addition of a doorway connecting guest room #4 to the other bedroom hallway, for access to the shower without going through the dining room. I do like Mama goose’s plan the best. Usually do :)