The Analytical Tortoise

Building a Wood Pellet Kitty Litter Box Have you ever wanted to switch your cat from traditional clay litter to something more natural, sustainable and less messy (also less costly). What is Wood Litter Wood litter, often made from compressed sawdust or wood shavings (waste product from saw mills) is a natural alternative to traditional clay-based cat litter.  When exposed to moisture, the pellets turn back into soft sawdust, making it easy to sift and clean. This type of litter is traditionally used as horse bedding, it is biodegradable, low dust, and free from synthetic additives, making it a healthier choice for both cats and their owners. Additional benefits include , little to no waste as you only discard pellets that get wet, naturally absorbs odor, environmentally friendly as it uses a waste product and can be composted. How to get Wood Pellets Wood pellets are available at most pet stores at comparable costs to clay litter, however there are cheaper alternatives.  The ...

  Review:  🎬 Freakier Friday (2025) Freakier Friday (2025) - "A mother-daughter(s)-grandmother switch that tugs at why we loved the original"   3.5 out of 5 Freakier Friday picks up more than two decades after the 2003 hit, expanding the original’s simple mother–daughter switch into a dizzying four-way body swap that feels both nostalgically familiar and oddly overcomplicated. The sequel reunites widowed therapist Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her now-adult daughter Anna Coleman (Lindsay Lohan) as Anna prepares to marry London restaurateur Eric Davies (Manny Jacinto). Their plans collide with teenage angst when Anna’s daughter Harper (Julia Butters) and Eric’s daughter Lily (Sophia Hammons) clash, setting the stage for a chaotic séance by a psychic (Vanessa Bayer) that swaps grandmother, mother, and both teens into each other’s bodies. Jamie Lee Curtis remains the film’s heart and engine, transforming Tess’s podcast-host persona into a frenetic frame fo...

  Review:  🎬 Live-Action How to Train Your Dragon (2025) How to Train Your Dragon (2025) - "A return to Berk, but it's true, you can never really go home again"     2 out of 5 stars Watching How to Train Your Dragon once more feels like greeting an old friend—until you realize the friend barely remembers who you are. Dean DeBlois returns to Berk with a live-action spectacle that dazzles the senses but leaves the spirit untouched. The film’s visual grandeur and state-of-the-art CGI invite us to glide alongside dragons in ways we’ve never seen, yet the emotional core feels strangely hollow. Cinematographer Bill Pope captures Berk’s rugged cliffs and storm-lashed shores with painterly precision. Every scale on Toothless gleams under moonlight, every fireball lights up the sky with visceral intensity. The CGI is nothing short of fantastic—dragons swoop, roar, and emote with uncanny realism, making it easy to forget you’re watching pixels rather than flesh and bo...

Natural DIY Laundry Detergent A simple natural laundry detergent that you can make at home. 3 (5 oz) Laundry bars , Fels Naptha, Zoat, Sunlight or 4 bars of Dove or Ivory 1 (3Kg) box of washing soda 1 (2Kg) box of borax 2 (1.13Kg) containers of Oxygen Bleach 2 Cups of baking soda Optional 1 container of fabric softner crystals Grate laundry bars with a cheese grater.  Mix in all ingredients in a garbage bag.  Tumble together until fully mixed.  Poor into a container for use.  Use 1 Tablespoon of detergent per full load.

Night Cream for Goiter/Thyroid treatment Used to soften the thyroid and reduce the goiter. 1 tsp Coconut Oil:  Natural moisturizer 10 drops Peppermint Oil:   Anti-inflamatory 10 drops Clove Oil:   Improves circulation 10 drops Lemongrass Oil:   Anti-inflamatory and antioxidant 5 drops Myrrh Oil:   Anti-inflamatory, immune booster and promotes healing Mix together and apply nightly.  For a thicker solution double coconut oil.

Healthy DIY Toothpaste A simple toothpaste reciepe that promote good health. 4 Tbsp of Coconut Oil:  Natural antibacterial properties 1 Tbsp of Baking Soda:   Mild abrasive, whitens, helps to neutralize excess acid 1 tsp salt:   Natural antiseptic properties (Limits bacterial growth) 20 drops Peppermint Oil:   Used for flavor but commonly used in treating gum ailements 10 drops Clove Oil:   Natural antibacterial properties (Kills bacteria) 4 drops Myrrh Oil:   Natural antimicrobial properties (Prevents spread of bacteria) Optional 5 drops Cinnamon Oil:   Used for flavor but helps to fight inflamation and viruses Mix together in a wide mouth bottle or small mason jar.  Refridgerate to return to a semi-solid state.  Dip tootbrush in mixture and brush as normal.  Store at room temperature.