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HOW I WENT FROM CLUELESS TO DISNEY- SONG SINGER (248) 543-0340 | www.janetdaviscleaners.com 27607Woodward Ave., Berkley, MI 48072 “HOT OFF THE PRESS” Dry Cleaning News
MAY 2020
Several years ago, when my oldest daughter was 1 1/2 years old, she was running through the house, tripped, and broke one of the bones in her leg. Aside from our obvious parental worry for our toddler, the injury resulted in another problem for our family: childcare. The day care she was attending at the time was not set up to take kids with that kind of injury. So for a month and a half, I stayed home with my oldest in the mornings until my mother-in-law could take over around 1 p.m. If you’ve ever spent time with a toddler who is used to running around all the time and suddenly can’t anymore, let me tell you — Disney was our salvation. This happened right around the time “Frozen” came out, so every morning for around six to eight weeks, that was our routine. My daughter would watch “Frozen”usually in the background while we were playing with stationary toys. As soon as her cast came off and things went back to normal, my oldest wasn’t as interested in “Frozen” anymore. During her recovery, we had gotten a few dolls and other “Frozen” merch, and those were around when my second daughter was born. Even though my youngest has only seen the movie once or twice, she’ll still tell you “Frozen” is her favorite movie. It’s funny; my daughters are so
similar, but so different. While they agree about “Frozen,” my older daughter likes Elsa, but my youngest likes Anna. In fact, my youngest is so totally into Anna that she has a baby Anna doll, and she can’t sleep without it. When my wife and I got married, I didn’t even know the difference between Snow White and the Sleeping Beauty, but these days, my daughters own just about every single Disney princess movie ever made. They go all the way back to classics like “Cinderella,” “Snow White,” and “The Little Mermaid,” and if I’m being honest, I know the words to at least one theme song from each of those movies. My girls and I belt their theme songs out in the car together. Recently, we’ve been singing the new live- action Jasmine song, “Speechless.” Up until the new “Aladdin” release, Jasmine was the only Disney princess who didn’t have a theme song, but now that she does, it has a nice message about female empowerment. I don’t know that my
girls care too much about the message, though. They just like the song.
As a parent, I’ll take it. There are so many new movies targeting kids these days, but when you actually watch some of them, they are totally inappropriate for a young audience. With Disney, my wife and I know we can pretty much count on it being wholesome. A lot has changed since Hans Christen Anderson wrote “The Princess and the Pea,” “The Snow Queen,” and other classics. But one thing remains the same: Kids, or at least my kids, like stories with princesses and magic in them. They like movies with catchy theme songs, and as long as they keep my girls innocent and happy, I’m happy to sing along with them.
–Kyle Matthews 1 (248) 543-0340
Health Benefits of Family Gardening GIVE YOUR KID THE GIFT OF A GREEN THUMB
INTRODUCING OUR NEW HOME LAUNDRY SERVICE
Springtime often means nicer weather and more time spent outside, but it also means it’s gardening season. That means it’s time to roll up your sleeves and play in the dirt. If you’ve been searching for a way to get the kids away from technology and engaged with the real world, gardening is the perfect activity for the whole family to enjoy. Not only is it fun, but it’s also beneficial for your kids’ development. For example, gardening can improve your children’s analytical abilities. As Dr. Wendy Matthews says, “Gardening exercises important reasoning, initiation, planning, and organization skills.” Furthermore, several studies, including one at Texas A&M University, suggest that gardening improves a child’s attitude toward fruits and vegetables and may make them more likely to choose them as snacks. Gardening helps kids identify with where their food is coming from, and nothing tastes better than a freshly picked strawberry or pea pod they grew themselves. Jack Gilbert, a scientist at the University of Chicago and a parent himself, and his co-author, Rob Knight, emphasize the health benefits of garden time in their book, “Dirt Is Good: The Advantage of Germs for Your Child’s Developing Immune System.” The two found that exposure to different microbes, like those found in a garden, strengthens a child’s immune system and makes them less likely to develop allergies. If this is your first time gardening, you don’t need much to get started. Grab a few shovels, a pair of gloves for each family member, and fresh potting soil, and you’ll be set. Then, you can decide together which plants you’d like to grow! Carrots are fun because of the surprise factor — just imagine your child discovering that the part they eat grows below the ground! Peas are tasty and fairly easy to grow, as are strawberries. The options really are endless. Depending on the growing season in your area, you can choose to buy seeds or opt for rooted plants.
For over a year, we’ve been working out the kinks on a new service: doing home laundry for our customers. We have the equipment, we have the customers, and now we are ready to roll out the service. The service will be simple. You bring us your laundry, and we take care of the rest. We wash it, dry it, fold it, and give it back to you. Simple. According to TheLaundryProject.net, the average American family does 8–10 loads of laundry every single week. Assuming one single load of laundry takes about an hour and a half to complete, that’s nearly 15 hours of waiting around for laundry every single week. That doesn’t even include the time it takes to get everything folded! Doing laundry at home uses up more than just time, though. According to the National Park Service, drying clothes constitutes about 6% of the average American home’s energy usage. The average residential washing machine uses a whopping 41 gallons of water per load. Washing machines and dryers have made dramatic gains in efficiency in recent years, and at Janet Davis Cleaners, we have the latest washing equipment, and the most efficient dryers. Not only will this service save you time, but it will also be good for the environment — and your health. To learn more about how we can help break your weekly laundry cycle, give us a call at (248) 543-0340 and ask about our new home laundry service.
Last but certainly not least, the best part of gardening as a family is the healthy, fresh produce you’ll get to enjoy all summer long!
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SPRING-CLEANING TIPS
It’s springtime, which means this year, more than ever, it’s time to dig in deep and clean your house top to bottom. Here are some tips from the pros on how to get the most out of your home cleaning equipment as you work through some of the most commonly forgotten items in your home to launder. HEAVY COMFORTERS The best guidance for how to launder your comforter can be found on its care tag, but there are some general guidelines that usually apply. First, make sure you’re using a front loading or top loading washer without a center agitator. You’ll also want to wash your comforter alone to reduce twisting and set your washer to the largest load capacity it comes with. Tumble dry on low for multiple cycles to avoid shrinkage and scorching and ensure full dryness. AFGHANS If your afghan was machine-crocheted, follow the care instructions it came with. But if you are the owner of a handmade crocheted blanket, the optimal way to wash it will be determined by the type of yarn fibers it was made with. Wool fiber yarn, for example, must be washed by hand in cold water with special detergent, or you will risk felting and shrinking it. Other yarn fiber types, like cotton, linen, ramie, superwash wool, and acrylic are much sturdier and can be machine washed
on a gentle cycle. Regardless of the way they’re washed, all handmade afghans should be laid flat to dry. CURTAINS AND DRAPES See that dust building up on your curtains and drapes all winter long? It’s time to clean that off. When laundering curtains and drapes at home, make sure to use mild detergent and cool water. Afterward, avoid shrinkage by hanging to dry. Oftentimes, window coverings come with detailing like stitched- in pleats, swags, or other ornamentation. When that’s the case, the surest way to avoid shrinkage and damage is to have them professionally cleaned. Properly cleaning household items can be labor intensive. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your springtime laundry list, give us a call at (248) 543-0340 to see how we can help!
SUDOKU
Sticky and Sweet PORK ‘RIB ’
INGREDIENTS
• 2 heads garlic, cloves separated • 3 thumbs ginger, chopped
• 1/3 cup oyster sauce • 1/3 cup toasted sesame oil • 5 lbs boneless pork shoulder, flattened • 3/4 cup brown sugar • 1 tbsp molasses
• 1 cup hoisin sauce • 3/4 cup fish sauce • 2/3 cup honey • 2/3 cup rice wine • 1/2 cup chili oil
DIRECTIONS
1. In a blender, purée garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, honey, rice wine, chili oil, oyster sauce, and toasted sesame oil until smooth. 2. Reserve and chill 1 1/2 cups for later use. 3. In a bag, add the remaining mixture and pork shoulder. Marinate for at least 8 hours. 4. Using a convection plate on the grill, cook pork until the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 140–145 F. 5. In a large saucepan, simmer brown sugar, molasses, and reserved marinade for 6–8 minutes. 6. Baste the pork with the brown sugar glaze for 2 minutes before serving.
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Inspired by Bon Appétit
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(248) 543-0340 www.janetdaviscleaners.com INSIDE THIS ISSUE
27607Woodward Ave. Berkley, MI 48072
1 How I Went From Clueless to Disney-Song Singer 2 What Is Gardening Good For?
Introducing Our New Home Laundry Service 3 Spring-Cleaning Tips: How to Launder the Tricky Stuff
Sticky and Sweet Pork ‘Ribs’ 4 Bird-Watching for Beginners
Bird-watching is like a lifelong scavenger hunt that you can play anywhere on Earth. The activity provides a mixture of science, travel, and beauty, and it’s a chance to get outside for feathered adventures and quiet reflection. The month of May is a great time of year to go birding because rising temperatures prompt spring migration. So if you’re eager to begin bird-watching, there’s no better time than now. Here are some tips to get started. BIRD-WATCHING FOR BEGINNERS
comfortable walking shoes, the only other thing you’ll need is a pair of binoculars. And they don’t have to be fancy. As long as they can zoom in on faraway trees and perches, they’ll work for now. You can always upgrade later.
EDUCATE YOURSELF
GO EXPLORING
Thousands of species of birds span all corners of the globe. That’s why finding them is an exciting prospect — there’s no end to the hunt! Start by researching birds that are native to your location. Purchase a field guide with pictures of each bird and maps of their range and use it to figure out where different birds live. From there, it’s easy to pick your first spotting goal. You can even get yourself extra excited by watching a few bird documentaries.
Your very first birding excursion is important because you don’t want to be overwhelmed or underwhelmed. So use your field guide to home in on a single bird and go find it. It may be local, or you can plan a trip to a specific bird’s natural habitat. Stay focused and don’t get distracted by other species. The thrill that comes with spotting your first bird will keep you coming back to find the rest. Bird-watching is a wonderful hobby because it’s easy to get started and can last a lifetime. As long as you can walk, drive, or look out a window, you can be a birder. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and find some birds!
GEAR UP
One of the best things about birding is that you don’t need a lot of equipment to do it. As long as you’ve got your field guide and
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