Summertime at Ask AroundThis was supposed to be a summer newsletter but someone forgot to book the summer here in Ottawa.  My garden is growing exceptional well with all this rain but I'm not outside much to enjoy it.  

How's your summer going? 


News from Ask Around
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LIVING FRUGAL IN OTTAWA
Frugal is fashionable . . . againIf you listen to CBC Ottawa in the mornings perhaps you have heard Amrita Singh's weekly 'Frugalista' pieces.  I just visited her blog and learned that vinegar and water banishes earwigs. Also club soda is good for cleaning stainless steel appliances.  Amazing.   I chatted with her about twitter a few weeks back so the truth about my accent is finally out there.  No more surprised members on the phone;  "But I didn't expect you to sound like that'
 

GETTING STUFF HOME 
When I walk around Ottawa neighbourhoods nowadays I see lots of people carrying shopping bags rather than plastic carrier bags.  I hope this means less unnecessary waste but I have not yet heard any reassuring statistics.  Plastic bag consumption has dropped to a mere trickle at our house which prompted me to reflect on what the modern hunter/gatherer uses instead.


Ask Around Shopping Bag
 
GETTING STUFF HOME II: It's a contest
If you read the article above you will see that I love my square burlap/hessian shopping bag. In fact I love it so much I feel I should share.  I have 10 of these bags (and some extra surprises) to give away to members who post recommendations before August 20.  All the details are here
 


CATEGORIES AT ASK AROUND
I've said this before but keeping all the categories and services lined up at askaround.ca is tricky.  Someone asked which categories are the busiest.  Good question.  I know that the services with the most businesses listings are not necessarily the ones members visit most, and this question prompted me to dig a little further.  Some surprises  . . .  read more

The Java Jibe; Looking for Great Ottawa Coffee Houses.
A guest Article from Michael Di Lauro
Coffee and KeyboardEarlier in the year, when the weather was still cool, Michael DiLauro wrote this lovely piece about Ottawa Coffee Houses.  Our sodden summer means I am spending just as much time in coffee shops now as back in May when the spring weather was first tempting us outside.    .  . . .   read more  
 
Would you like to share a practical, local article with Ask Around members?  Just let me know.
 
Wanted
 
The questions keep coming, both by email and through twitter.  The 'Wanted' notices now have their own page on the Ask Around blog.  Can you help your fellow members with recommendations for any of these?
 
  Want to post a 'Wanted' question?  Send me an email

News from Ask Around HQ
This summer is one of my busiest ever.  Ask Around is expanding to new cities so from September I will be dividing my time between Ottawa and Oxford in the UK.  Moving to a new  home is always a challenge so I have this stuck to my screen for encouragement.
 
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work"
                                     Thomas A. Edison (1847 - 1931)

I'm the one in the overalls.  Enjoy the rest of your summer.
  

                     Wendy