Ice, Ice, Baby....

It's hot.

No, strike that.

It's HOT!

Only halfway through July and, here in North Texas, we've already had our normal yearly dose of days over 100 degrees.

I have a new relationship with ice. In a Ziploc bag and placed on the back of my neck. In a pitcher of water I give to the dogs. And, of course, in a gin and tonic or two.

But here, thanks to Real Simple, are a few more great uses for the humble ice cube.

• Fill a metal ladle with ice cubes and drag it across soup. The fat will cling to the ladle's bottom and you can de-fat your soups and stocks without refrigerating overnight.
• Water your indoor plants by placing ice cubes on the soil. The ice will melt and water the plant without the need for placing them in the sink to drain.
• When tweezing your eyebrows (Hey...even us middle-aged men need to get rid of the errant hair every now and then.), rub an ice cube over your brows before plucking. Then, use ice again afterwards to reduce redness.
• To refresh your garbage disposal, run a handful of ice cubes and a pinch of baking soda through. It will get rid of the excess grease on the blades.
• And, for a quick version of my back of the neck trick, hold a piece of ice on the underside of your wrist. You'll become a bit more...ahem...cold-blooded. And a heck of a lot more comfortable.