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Cool tools really work.
A cool tool can be any book, gadget, software, video, map, hardware, material, or website that is tried and true. All reviews on this site are written by readers who have actually used the tool and others like it. Items can be either old or new as long as they are wonderful. We post things we like and ignore the rest. Suggestions for tools much better than what is recommended here are always wanted.
All About Vibe Custom Pillows: We’re in the thick of high school graduation season, with so many friends/kids getting ready to head off to college this fall. I absolutely love these custom pillows, which I’ve been personalizing with photos of family pets and giving as graduation gifts. They’re a fun, thoughtful reminder of home that students can take with them when they leave, and they feel so much more personal than a card with money or a gift card, though those are always appreciated too!
Topsail Steamer Seafood Boil Buckets: We love hosting al fresco summer dinners, and Topsail Steamer makes it incredibly easy to serve an impressive seafood boil without spending the whole evening in the kitchen. Their buckets include everything you need for a proper feast, and they’re always a crowd-pleaser. We just add a nice bottle of white, my Uncle Allen’s perfectly-worn crab hammers (now a family heirloom), and a key lime pie. Now if they’d just offer a loyalty program (wink, wink)!
Hidden Gems: My husband and I love these cards. We tuck them into work bags, coat pockets, and unexpected little places so the other person finds a surprise love note later in the day. We mostly use them for fun, but I recently reached for one after a small tiff, and it was exactly what we needed to soften the aftermath. It offered a gentle reminder that beneath all the noise, there is still compassion, kindness, and love.
DIGITAL
Mystery Show Podcast: I recently revisited Mystery Show, and it remains my number-one answer whenever someone asks about my favorite podcasts. Starlee Kine blends wit, warmth, suspense, and, of course, mystery into an utterly charming little gem of a show. Only six episodes were ever released, which somehow makes me treasure it even more.
Call it divine intervention, fate, or kismet, but Sister Mary Jo’s uplifting, scripture-rooted messages always seem to find me just when I need them most. You don’t have to be Catholic, Christian, or connected to any organized faith to appreciate her warmth, no-nonsense encouragement, and heartfelt reminders to lead with kindness, compassion, and purpose. Her messages bring welcome depth and humanity to a world that often feels short on both. And honestly, who can resist a habit, cat-eye-glasses-wearing nun who ends each message with a wink and a tongue click?
INVISIBLE
“Healthy Birds Leave the Nest”
Our son and only child is leaving for college in August and spending his very first semester overseas in Rome. We are filled with excitement for him, while our hearts ache at the thought of his absence from our daily lives.
My motherly instinct is to keep him close and safe forever, but I keep reminding myself: healthy birds leave the nest. He is meant to go out into the world, discover who he is and who he wants to become, grow through new experiences and challenges, and begin finding his own way.
We are endlessly proud of the kind, thoughtful young man he has become, and we will always be here, cheering him on from home.
He’s got this. And, eventually, so will we.
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