Dungeons & Dragons Demon Queen's Enclave

The D&D fans have apparently found my home improvement blog. I guess that's what I get for writing about that giant glowing-eyed spider last Halloween.

I'm not sure what a Demon Queen's Enclave is, but I don't think it will improve your home much. In fact, it could be downright harmful to the resale value.

But if you're more concerned about snagging a copy of this book, you can get it at Amazon for $17:

Demon Queen's Enclave: Adventure P2 for 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons (D&D Adventure)

"In this adventure, the heroes must unravel the plots of the vile minions of Lolth, the infamous Demon Queen of Spiders. Along the way, they'll face off against drow, demons, and worse!"

Woohoo, just remember not to leave this out on the coffee table when potential buyers are coming over to scope out your house. ;)

Wii Fit Yoga Mat

I feel like such a loser... I've never even touched a Nintendo Wii, much less attempted to do Yoga on one. My soon-to-be-retired mother knows more about the gaming system than I do (she enjoys fitness stuff and seems quite intrigued by the Wii Fit). I'm not sure she'd be suckered into buying a bright green yoga mat just for the Wii though.

I actually do take yoga (maybe not all that regularly) and paid considerably less than this for a perfectly good (non-bright green) mat and carrying strap from Target. But if you want yours to say "Wii" then this one might be for you.

It was for someone, because I made $2 from the affiliate commission (thank you, Wii yoga star!).

Want one of your own? Here's the link:

Wii Fit Yoga Mat

Nose & Ear Hair Trimmers

Where does one go to buy one's nose and ear hair trimmers? Amazon, of course!

It makes sense, I suppose. You wouldn't want that cute checkout girl (or boy) knowing about your secret hairiness, right?

This model turned up in my affiliate reports today:

Groom Mate Platinum XL Nose & Ear Hair Trimmer

Maybe it's just me, but it looks like some kind of sleek James Bond gadget. Press a button and it turns into a gun or a helicopter or some such...

Alas, the simple battery-free trimmers only deprive your ears and nose of hair.

Yours for a mere $20.

The Waltons on DVD, You Know You Want It

I'm not old enough to remember the Waltons, but I do think I've caught it once or twice on Hallmark (or one of those obscure cable channels that isn't afraid to show black-and-white stuff). If you are a Waltons fan from way back, you might be interested to know that the show is now available on DVD.

And where can you buy it? Amazon, of course. Multiple seasons in fact (someone ordered the first two via one of my sites--no, I promise I wasn't quoting the Waltons while chatting home and garden).

The first season is more popular over there than you might think--if the 103 customer reviews are any indiction. It's pretty reasonably priced too: $19.99 as I write this post.

The Waltons

Glass Baby Feeding Bottles

Why drive all the way to a special baby store to get goods for your younguns, when you can simply type in Amazon? Chances are they have a bigger inventory to choose from than most other places anyway--yup, even in the baby paraphernalia market.

Someone ordered some of these glass "nursers" (baby feeding bottles) from Amazon via one of my sites:

"Nowadays, plastic bottles are the norm for bottle-feeding, which makes these small, shiny glass bottles seem almost nostalgic. They may look like quaint antiques from a bygone era, yet they are still highly functional. The glass holds heat well and they clean up without the common staining found in plastic bottles. The Sensitive Response nipples are soft and flexible, designed to adjust to a baby's sucking pressure so it's a comfortable feeding experience."

(One does wonder how the writer of the product description knows it's a comfortable feeding experience--I suppose at least one adult had to try these out personally... maybe he/she was the one?)

$6 gets you a set of three: Evenflo 4-Ounce Classic Glass Nurser 3 Pack

Get Your Dog Treats at Amazon (no, not edible books)

Come one, come all, and get your dog treats at Amazon.

If you had any doubts that Amazon has long since become more than a bookstore, browsing their munchies (munchies for people, canines, felines, and more) sections ought to change your mind. Someone ordered some "Greenies Treats for Dogs" through one of my sites yesterday.

As a dog owner myself, I have to say that I can see why. Amazon's prices are cheaper than PetCo's (which doesn't take much... I paid $10 for a bottle of doggy shampoo from PetCo the other night. I don't even pay that much for my own shampoo. Of course, when one's pet has been rolling in duck poo, one doesn't quibble about prices at that time), so if Fido can wait a couple of days for shipping, you might want to pick up your doggie paraphernalia there too.

Just watch out for the stuff made in China... :\

Greenies Treats for Dogs

Star Wars Mr. Potato Head, But of Course

I remember Star Wars from my childhood days. And I remember Mr. Potato Head from those same days. But it seems it took the 21st Century to bring you a Star Wars Mr. Potato Head. It's Darth Tater (of course it is) to be precise.

Here's a "product feature" listed at Amazon:

"From the dark side of the garden comes Darth Tater! Create your own delightful Star Wars Mr. Potato."

Hm.

Fun for the whole family.

Or just one nerdy little kid.

Only $20. (Was Mr. Potato Head that expensive when I was a kid? Sheesh. Darned inflation.)

Mr. Potato Head - Darth Tater

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

I had another not-quite-home-improvement book ordered from Amazon through my site today. It's a children's book (who knew children browsed the bathroom remodeling section on my site?), but it looks pretty cool, like something I would have enjoyed as a kid (or, you know, now).

"Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery."

The book is 550 pages, which seems pretty whopping for something aimed at 9-12 year olds, but apparently there are illustrations too:

"My new book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, is a 550 page novel in words and pictures. But unlike most novels, the images in my new book don't just illustrate the story; they help tell it. I've used the lessons I learned from Remy Charlip and other masters of the picture book to create something that is not a exactly a novel, not quite a picture book, not really a graphic novel, or a flip book or a movie, but a combination of all these things."

Anyway, the book has 4 1/2 stars overall, and lots of positive reviews, over at Amazon (where the hardback is heavily discounted at the moment), so if you're looking for a children's book to gift to someone (or, hey, read yourself--I won't tell), here you go:

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Underdead Vampires, Oh My

I'll kick off this blog with something that showed up on my reports listing this morning. Someone ordered "Underdead."

I naturally clicked to see what it is, since it didn't sound like the usual ergonomic gardening tools, "How to Add $500,000 to the Value of Your Home Without Spending a Dime" manuals, butterfly night lites, and the like.

So anyway, it's a book.

I'm a book fan, so cheers for readers everywhere, but since horror sqwiks me (yes, I frequently make up words--you'll get used to it), I've got to drop this one in my "Amazed at Amazon" pile (can blogs "pile"?) . Here's the description in case you're not so easily sqwiked (and once I make up a word, I use it over and over... as they say, use it five times and it's yours!):

"Underdead By Liz Jasper Science teacher Jo Gartner thinks teaching geology to hormonal pre-teens is deadly...until she is bitten by an inept vampire and becomes Underdead all the problems of being a vampire, none of the perks. When she finds a body on her classroom floor with teeth marks in his neck, she must figure out whodunnit before her Underdead secret gets out. But she's running out of time. The detective in charge of the case is dogging her every move, her vampire traits are evolving in new and embarrassing ways, and someone wants Jo dead...the traditional way!"

One does wonder what the difference is between underdead and undead. I suppose genre experts can explain it (I patiently await for comments from genre experts).

The book just came out last month, so if you've been dying for a new vampire novel, I guess this one's for you:

Underdead by Liz Jasper