Washcloths

The other day I ordered three dozen washcloths, two dozen for us and one dozen for Mom. Our gray washcloths were looking pretty shabby, and when I was taking care of Mom a couple of weeks ago I noticed her drawer was full of a bunch of threadbare washcloths that wouldn’t do much good, and I thought she deserved some nice luxurious washcloths to wash her face with. I got the washcloths from Kohl’s, they were on sale and I had a nice coupon I could use on top of the sale.

My order finally arrived and I got the washcloths out to prepare them for washing (I always wash new towels before using). They came in plastic bags like this:

And they were rolled up like this:

After I took off all the plastic bags I had to cut off the ribbon around each bouquet of washcloths:

So I did that and tossed them into my laundry basket, thinking I was done.

But then I discovered one of these in each washcloth:

And I had to cut each one very carefully so I didn’t snip a hole in the washcloth:

36 washcloths and a zillion minutes later I finally had all the little plastic widgets taken out of the washcloths and the washcloths in the washing machine. All in all, much more of an ordeal than I expected, ha!

Adventures in Eating

When I was at Copper Creek Mercantile the other day buying cat food, Jen told me that they had something new. When she showed it to me I knew I had to get a can for Philip to try.

Can you imagine?

Here is what the food looks like:

Pretty normal looking pâté-style cat food.

Now, I don’t know if Philip’s mama kitty ever brought him a mouse to eat when they were still living outside, but Philip didn’t want this. He would barely even get near it. He jumped down and went away until I got out some of his regular, non-pâté food. He likes his food to have chunks, like real chicken or fish, and he has never been a fan of the pâté style. There really isn’t any way of knowing whether he rejected it because of the mouse, other ingredients, or the style of the food, but Philip says no, thank you.

1940s Saturday 2-1-14

This last weekend I bought a few magazines from the 1940s.  I’m kicking myself for not buying the whole pile, but hoping that the man will be at the flea market next month with the rest.  I want the magazines because A)  I love reading old magazines; B) Our house was built in 1946 and I’m interested in the history; and most importantly C) we have been re-doing our bathroom, and I’ve decided (I think) to decorate with travel ads from the 1940s.  This is the cover of one of the magazines, which will be perfect for my travel theme.  Seriously, you should have seen the giant grin on my face when I found it! 

 

 

 

 

While looking through old magazines, I’m always struck by how similar the articles and content are to what we have today.  For instance, I read an article about a lady who was a writer, and tired of trying to do her work in a space where she was constantly trampled by children, puppies, and tradespeople, decided to redo a cellar room into a study. She managed to do it for only $25, ($384.59 by today’s standards, according to The Inflation Calculator).  Today, however,  I saw this in a 1941 Better Homes and Gardens.  The first two paragraphs read:

“There’s one sure way to tell a long-lasting paint. Find out how much white lead it contains. For as good painters and architects will tell you, the greater the white lead content, the more enduring the paint. And you can’t get a more weather-resistant paint than one containing 100% pure white lead.”

 

 

<Jaw drops to floor>

Little did they know, a few years later children would be seriously injured from eating bits of the paint that was not, I suppose, as durable as the ads wanted them to believe.  Of course, 15 years ago people still thought margarine was better for you than butter.  We just never know when our prevailing wisdom will turn to foolishness! 

Ow, My Legs

Yesterday I got many boxes and bins and Space Bags organized and took elebenty-twelve of them upstairs. My bedroom is completely cleared of everything not bedroom-related!!

However, my glee at having accomplished this giant task has been tempered by the fact that none of the muscles in my legs work. Why? Because:

Ordinary stairs Tread – 11″ deep. Rise – 6.75″ high. All stairs the same height.

Our stairs: Tread – 9″ deep. Rise – 8.50″ high, except for the top one, which is 5.50″ high.
Landing at top of stairs – 2 feet from stairs to wall.

 

Our stairs (oh yes, the carpet is really that color).

 

To go up the stairs when carrying something: Lean forward as far as you can and move upward quickly to keep from falling backwards down the stairs. Place feet on steps sideways, attempting not to catch your toe in the corner between the step and next riser.

 

Watch your toes.

 

Bend over even further when you reach the top step and set the thing you’re carrying on the landing, hold on to the top bannister, and carefully step up. Remember that the landing at the top of the stairs is only 2 feet wide. Do not run into window at top of stairs.

The landing. If my derriere was any bigger, it would bounce me off the wall and down the stairs.

 

To go downstairs: Grip bannister post while stepping onto second step lest you tumble downstairs when you forget that part of the landing is only 2 feet wide. When on second step, lean over and grasp handrail tightly, lean backwards, and go slowly down the stairs. Step sideways or with duck feet and hug stair riser with calves, so your feet will fit on the tread instead of sliding off the front edge. Use every muscle in your legs to keep from falling to your death.

 

Stairs looking down, top bannister and handrail.

 

 

 

Duck foot.

 

 

Here, however, is the bright spot of the upstairs hall – Emily’s handmade 1000 Cranes, and sculpture made by my hubby.

 

There really are a thousand!

 

 

Here is a close-up of the cranes:

Awesome, right?

Yay! …Huh?

 

Yay, new toothpaste!

Oooh, coupons!

??????????

Thursday Thoughts

1.  If a company is going to advertise something, they should advertise the price right up front.  I don’t want to “consult” with an annoying salesperson.  I don’t want anyone to contact me.  I don’t want to watch 20 more minutes of an infomercial.  I already think the product sounds super.  I just want to know how much it COSTS, and if they won’t tell me up front I think they must be scamming.

2.  “Shark Night 3D”?   ?!?!?

3.  Coconut water: full of potassium and other things that are good for you.  Does not taste like coconut. Not even close.