Wow, did I have a mess today. Yesterday, Curt bought some oatmeal/raisin cookies at Wal-Mart, which is one of the few treats he thinks he can have now. Anyway, when we got home and I was putting groceries away, I noticed that he had bought sugarless cookies. This is great for normal people, especially since we just recently found out Curt has diabetes. But, Curt has restless legs syndrome, and artificial sweetners aggravates his condition. (We have often joked about what he CAN eat--no sugar, no artificial sweetners). Luckily we found an herb sweetner called stevia. He can have that as far as we know. (In fact, we bought him some cola at a health food store sweetened with it.) Anyway, after he left for his college ward, I thought I would be a sweet wife and bake him some oatmeal cookies.
I proceed to get into the cupboard to get out the oatmeal. To my surprise, there were little "shavings" around the oatmeal box. It was full of weevil or some kind of bug. I thought, "Great." I better clean out the pantry--the whole thing. I took everything out of the shelves, threw away anything that was in a box (macaroni and cheese, skillet dinners, etc.). I wiped down the walls and shelves with Lysol. While it aired out, I decided to go to Wal-Mart (I know, I shouldn't be shopping on Sunday) to buy some oatmeal. I also bought some insecticide that can be sprayed in the cracks of the cupboards and shelves, too. When I got home, I sprayed the insecticide and vacuumed out the shelves. As I was vacuuming, the power went out. I thought, "Great." It was only about 10:30 or so, so I figured when the power came back on I'd still have time to get to church (mine doesn't start until 1 p.m.). Besides the insecticide needed to dry before I put anything back in the shelves.
I turned on our radio and waited for KMTI to tell me what the problem was with the electricity. I waited, and waited, and waited, for a half hour or so at least. Then I went over to my mother's--she had no power either. But, when Kelly got to her house, which is on the south side of town, she HAD power. Curious. So I called the neighbors across the street. They, too, HAD power. More curious. I decided to call the city manager--no answer. I then call the mayor, who is a good personal friend. She said she would call the power people, because she HAD power, too.
In the meantime, I'm worrying how I am going to get to church because my car is inside the garage, and we have an electric garage opener. I see the release rope, pull it, but I still can't get the garage door open. I even think about calling a neighbor to hitch a ride to church. Now it is close to noon--church starts at 1 p.m. I go over to my mother's and my sister is there. We decided to get in her car and drive around to see if we can see anything. On the street west of my house we see the city bucket truck and an employee getting out of the truck. He has found the problem (I'm so glad I called--they may never have known about it for a while!) and is going to fix it.
As soon as the power is back on, I decide I better get ready for church. By now, it is 12:55--I'll never make it to church now. So I guiltily wipe down all the shelves in the pantry with an antibacterial substance and put everything back on the shelves. Now it is close to 2 p.m. Curt will be home about 3. So I get dinner ready (I haven't had anything to eat up all day to this point, so I figured I might as well wait until dinner is ready) and put it in the oven. Curt gets home a little after 3 and asks how come I'm not at church. I explain the whole situation, and he just laughs. He looks in the pantry and comments on how nice it looks. He told me not to feel bad about missing church, but I still feel guilty for not going. At least my pantry and everything in it is clean now . . .
5 comments:
Sorry about your day. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
Becky, Idea for alternate sweetener for Curt that is actually good for you and him...try Stevia. You can get it at a health food store, like the one in Cedar City that Chris and Amanda shop in. I use it all the time for my family and we really like it.
Let me know what you think.
Love to you both,
Rori DeAnne (Amanda's mom)
Becky,
Oops, I didn't read far enough before I posted.
You mentioned insecticides...here is an alternative to toxic bug sprays that is natural and in your pantry right now I bet...vinegar.
Read on:
VINEGAR – THE WONDER CLEANER
We received a great deal of mail asking for more alternatives to common household cleaners, polishes, etc. This month, we honor this request by giving you the following 60 ways to substitute vinegar for the more toxic and environmentally destructive choices commercially available. Have fun testing them and let us know what works best for you.
1. Kill grass on walks and driveways. Pour full strength on unwanted grass.
2. Kill unwanted plants by spraying vinegar full strength on them. Reapply on any new growth until plants have starved.
3. Increase soil acidity. In hard water areas, add a cup of vinegar to a gallon of tap water for watering acid loving plants like rhododendras, gardenias, or azaleas. The vinegar will release iron in the soil for the plants to use.
4. Neutralize garden lime. Rinse your hands liberally with vinegar after working with garden lime to avoid rough and flaking skin. Clean pots before repotting, rinse with vinegar to remove excess lime.
5 Deter ants. Spray vinegar around door and window frames, under appliances, and along other known ant trails.
6. Keep car windows frost free. Coat the windows the night before with a solution of three parts vinegar to one part water.
7. Polish car chrome. Apply full strength with a soft cloth.
8. Remove skunk odor from a dog. Rub fur with vinegar.
9. Keep cats away. Sprinkle vinegar on an area to discourage cats from walking, sleeping, or scratching on it.
10. Keep dogs from scratching ears. Clean the inside of the ears with a soft cloth dipped in diluted vinegar.
11. Keep away fleas and mange. Add a little vinegar to your pet's drinking water.
12. Keep chickens from pecking each other. Add cider vinegar to their drinking water.
13. Tenderize meat. Soak in vinegar overnight.
14. Freshen vegetables. Soak wilted vegetables in a quart of cold water and a tablespoon of vinegar.
15 .Replace a lemon. Substitute 1/4 teaspoon of vinegar for 1 tsp. of lemon juice.
16 .Boil better eggs. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to each quart of water before boiling eggs, keeps them from cracking.
17. Prepare fluffier rice. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water when it boils.
18. Debug fresh vegetables. Wash leafy greens in water with vinegar and salt. Bugs float off.
19. Scale fish more easily. Rub with vinegar 5 minutes before scaling.
20. Dampen your appetite. Sprinkle a little vinegar on prepared food to take the edge off your appetite.
21. Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting. Douse with vinegar. Will soothe irritation and relieve itching.
22. Relieve sunburn. Lightly rub white or cider vinegar on skin. Reapply as needed.
23. Conditions hair. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to your rinse to dissolve sticky residue left by shampoo.
24. Relieve dry and itchy skin. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to your bath water.
25. Fight dandruff. After shampooing, rinse with a solution of 1/2 cup vinegar and 2 cups of warm water.
26. Soothe a soar throat. Put a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water. Gargle, then swallow. For another great gargle: 1 c. hot water, 2 tbsp. honey, 1 tbsp. vinegar, gargle then drink.
27. Clear up warts. Apply a lotion of half cider vinegar and half glycerin.
28. Treat sinus infections and chest colds. Add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer.
29. Feel good. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, with a bit of honey added for flavor, will take the edge off your appetite and give you an overall healthy feeling.
30. Deodorize the kitchen drain. Pour a cup down the drain once a week. Let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.
31. Eliminate onion odor. Rub on your fingers before and after slicing.
32. Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards. Wipe with full strength vinegar.
33. Remove fruit stains from hands. Rub with vinegar.
34. Cut grease and odor on dishes. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy water.
35. Clean a teapot. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot. Wipe away the grime.
36. Freshen a lunchbox. Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in the lunch box over night.
37. Clean the refrigerator. Wash with a solution of equal parts water and vinegar.
38. Unclog a drain. Pour a handful of baking soda down the drain and add cup of vinegar. Rinse with hot water.
39. Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through a minute.
40. Clean and deodorize jars. Rinse mayonnaise, peanut butter, and mustard jars with vinegar when empty.
41. Clean the dishwasher. Run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.
42. Clean stainless steel. Wipe with a vinegar dampened cloth.
43. Clean china and fine glassware. Add acup of vinegar to a sink of warm water. Gently dip the glass or china in the solution and let dry.
44. Get stains out of pots. Fill pot with a solution of 3 tablespoons of vinegar to a pint of water. Boil until stain loosens and can be washed away.
45. Clean the microwave. Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.
46. Dissolve rust from bolts and other metals. Soak in full strength vinegar.
47. Get rid of cooking smells. Let simmer a small pot of vinegar and water solution.
48. Unclog steam iron. Pour equal amounts of vinegar and water into the iron's water chamber. Turn to steam and leave the iron on for 5 minutes in an upright postion. Then uplug and allow to cool. Any loose particles should come out when you empty the water.
49. Clean a scorched iron plate. Heat equal parts vinegar and salt in a small pan. Rub solution on the cooled iron surface to remove dark or burned stains.
50. Get rid of lint in clothes. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.
51. Keep colors from running. Immerse clothes in full strength vinegar before washing.
52. Freshen up the washing machine. Periodically, pour a cup of vinegar in the machine and let in run through a regular cycle (no clothes added). Will dissolve soap residue.
53. Brighten fabric colors. Add a 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.
54. Take grease off suede. Dip a toothbrush in vinegar and gently brush over grease spot.
55. Remove tough stains. Gently rub on fruit, jam, mustard, coffee, tea. Then wash as usual.
56. Get smoke smell out of clothes. Add a cup of vinegar to a bath tub of hot water. Hang clothes above the steam.
57. Remove decals. Brush with a couple coats of vinegar. Allow to soak in. Wash off.
58. Clean eyeglasses. Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.
59. Freshen cut flowers. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar for each quart of water.
60. Make buttermilk. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of milk and let it stand 5 minutes to thicken.
Enjoy,
Rori DeAnne
Becky,
Could you send me your email address?
Email to:
rori001@worldplusproducts.com
Hugs,
Rori DeAnne
I didn't hear about this experience. Sounds like it all worked out, even though,it is stressful. By the way, did you get the cookies made?
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