With everything happening right now, home-related topics may feel minor, but we’re keeping our podcast going as a light escape for anyone tuning in (it’s definitely a welcome distraction for us). This week we answer the most common question we’ve received in recent days: how the coronavirus is affecting our Florida move and our house sales (spoiler: one contract fell through). We also have a surprisingly in-depth conversation about high-tech toilets and bidets, and we share two things that are helping us make the most of being home with kids around the clock.
You can also find this episode on your favorite podcast app, like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, and Spotify.
What’s New
- Note: As promised, we’ve listed ways you can help people during the pandemic at the bottom of this post.
- If you want background on some of the updates we mentioned in this episode, here are the original posts that cover the moves and sales mentioned on the show:
- We’re moving to Florida!
- We sold our duplex!
- We sold our pink beach house!
- We sold our Richmond house!
Can We Just Talk About Bidets?
- We riffed on an NPR Planet Money piece that helped spark this whole conversation: “Why America Is Losing The Toilet Race.”
- Pictured above is a Toto Washlet, a high-end washlet available in many configurations and price points—some models can be surprisingly expensive.
- There are more budget-friendly options too. Some popular choices are simple, non-electric bidet attachments or compact add-ons that don’t require an outlet and cover the basic cleansing functions.
- We also discussed sprayer attachments that are easy to add to a toilet. Years ago we used a sprayer during our cloth-diapering days; a similar modern attachment is available now if you want that DIY route.
- And yes, we briefly covered novelty items like disposable urinal bags—an extreme option that one of us impulsively ordered while processing this whole topic.
We’re Digging
- As a family we’ve been enjoying Lego Masters, which airs on Fox and is also available through streaming and purchase platforms.
- If you want to track walks for exercise or fresh-air time, we’ve been using the free Map My Walk app and have found it helpful for staying active together.
Ways To Help During The Pandemic
- Here are practical ways to support people affected by the pandemic, from healthcare workers to restaurant staff and community organizations.
- If you can donate N95 masks, please check any DIY supplies you have—every mask can help protect a frontline worker.
- Blood banks are facing severe shortages; donating blood is a direct way to save lives if you are able and healthy.
- Supporting local businesses helps preserve livelihoods. Consider buying gift cards to use later, ordering takeout or delivery, or following other suggestions for supporting independent shops.
- There are many curated lists and articles with additional ideas for helping neighbors and community organizations—small actions add up, and it’s inspiring to see people step up.
If you want to revisit things we recommended in past episodes, there’s a master list of everything we’ve been digging from older shows, as well as a page with all the books we’ve recommended for our Book Club.
Finally, thanks to Rothy’s for sponsoring this episode. They make shoes and bags from repurposed materials—practical, washable styles we like.
Thanks for listening!
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