Cleaning Day - The Many Uses of Oil

When we were cleaning Mom's house when she moved we found many bottle of oil... mineral oil, olive oil, vegetable oil... It turns out Mom was "green" before it was chic and thrifty to top it off. Here's Mom's advice:

*To perk up potted plants combine one part mineral oil and two parts water in a spray bottle. Once a month, use to mist the plants then wipe off the leaves with a soft cloth.

*Combine 1 cup of mineral or olive oil and 1 Tbs.of lemon juice in a spray bottle. Shake well, then spritz the mixture on a soft dry cloth and use to wipe wooden surfaces. The citric acid in the lemon juice cuts through grime while the oil lubricates wood and brings out its natural shine. This also woks on removing fingerprints from stainless -steel appliances.

*A dollop of olive oil on a soft cloth will quickly removes fingerprints and give a polish to stainless appliances when you're in a hurry.

*Pour a few drops of mineral oil on a lint-free cloth and rub into the leather of dingy-looking boots or shoes for a quick and easy restoration. It also acts as a waterproof barrier, protecting footwear from the damaging effects of rain and snow.

*Pour a small amount of vegetable, olive or mineral oil onto a clean cloth and rub your wood cutting boards. Let sit for at least two hours then wipe off any excess oil. I have a large butcher block; I use olive oil or vegetable oil and leave it on the wood overnight. The oil barrier will keep odors from getting absorbed into the wood's pores and acts as a lubricating shield against water-induced damage, drying and cracking.

*Keep some oil and cotton balls handy to remove adhesive bandages and temporary tattoos. Apply oil with cotton ball and wait one minute. Then voila, no tears and no red marks!

*Need to perform an emergency shave on those legs and don't have time for water? Use mineral or olive oil (for dry skin) to ensure a smooth, effortless shave for silky, soft legs.


I'm sure we could all come up with some more ideas on what to do with oil. Hmmmm....What's yours?

Humpday Help - How 'bout somethin' sweet?

Ack! It's Humpday again! It's like a birthday... always sneaking up on me.
To me, some of the best things in life are chocolate, a great conversation, tea, and hugs. When a girlfriend lets you know you have chocolate on your mouth, you've been blessed with two pleasures - her company and some really good chocolate! Did you know that having tea with friends is also a great excuse to bake chocolate chip cookies?

So here's a little somethin' somethin' for my friends.


Indulge in the luxuries and whimsies of life and revel in the carefree delights of friendship.

Cleaning Day - Modern Technology - are we missing something?

Modern technology gave us the means to make chores in life easier, quicker and free up time for us to spend time with families or doing things we enjoy. But are we?

The Dishwasher - There was a time when dish washing was done by mother and daughter; it was also thought of as their bonding time. They would discuss issues in the young woman's life, solve problems, wipe tears, give opinions of fashion and even have a few good laughs. Growing up, I never had a dishwasher - it was always Mom and me, sometimes my married sister joined us. I remember talking about boys, bras, fashions, situations at school... it was a short time of bonding that left me feeling loved, safe, and secure. What happened to that time? Do mothers and daughters still have a few moments where men/boys are sparse so they can tell secrets?

The Washing Machine - Now this will take some back! I cherished the days I helped Grandma do the washing. She had one of those old style machines with the big rollers. She would load her bras and girdles into the round tub with Ivory soap; I loved watching the bubbles form into a lather like substance. Then I would be on the receiving end as she pushed each garment through a roller to squeeze out the suds. I'd drop the garment into a tub of water. She'd feed it into another roller, and I'd guide the item through and drop it into a tub of clean cold water... During this time of washing Grams undergarments I noticed the difference between what she wore and what my mom, my sister, and I wore. She would tell me delightful stories about the "evolution of the undergarment" and what she wore as a child in the early 1900's, her first bra and so on. Do young girls have this opportunity to learn such historical trivia and have such bonding time with their Grams?

Dryers - Before homes had clothes dryers, the clothesline was an important fixture in the yard. I used to love how ours would turn in the breeze and how the sheets would smell as they flapped in the sunlight. Mom was convinced the sun killed those nasty germs and bleached out the whites. It didn't matter to me, I just loved crawling into a freshly made bed at night and smelling the sunshine in my pillow. Grandma had long ropes running from her house to the garage and when the weight of sheets got to heavy, Gramps would place long poles under the lines for added support. He seemed to know when Gram needed his help and would appear out of nowhere. No words were spoken, just a simple nod from Gram acknowledging the lines were high enough. They would share a soft smile, Gram would give Gramps a gentle kiss with a sparkle in her eye before he returned to his chores. My heart would flip at the sight of such a simple expression of love. Do men & women silently help each other simply out of love or has modern technology taken that as well?

Modern technology certainly made household chores easier and quicker. Everyone said it would give families more time together; couples time the needed; individuals time to do things they enjoyed such as hobbies. As I look around me I see people using this time to work more, argue more, and spend more time doing individual activities. Am I missing something? Are we?

Humpday Help - Just an Ordinary Day

Ack! I'm late! After getting the boys off to school this rainy morn, I took hubby to the airport then with toddler in tow, when to the grocery store for a can good sale. The only thing wrong with that sentence is taking the toddler to the store. Ugh! For a three year old, Nate the Great is a determined fellow. As I was carefully selecting the can goods to stock my pantry, so was he... with the most expensive items! Along comes the temper tantrum as I put his items back on the shelf. *sigh* Just an ordinary day for me.

Now he's eating lunch while I nibble on a piece of homemade raisin bread and sip vanilla caramel flavored coffee. Ahhh..... Even the guinea pig is quiet right now.

Oh, that bread went down to easy. I sit and think of the other day when I made it with Nate's help. He carefully poured the ingredients into the mixer along with extra raisins; his tongue ever so slightly sticking out of his mouth. We had flour all over the place but he was so darn cute!

As I sit back with that thought, I take a sip of my coffee. For a moment I think of all the hands and human ingenuity that brought this heavenly beverage to land in my routine. Amazing... when you think about it.

I open my window. The birds are unusually loud today. Perhaps they are grateful for the rain; perhaps it's one last chance at having a juicy worm for a meal. The weather seems to have washed away the troublesome pollen and has brought the autumn air smelling of leaves and earth.

It seems blessings fall; no matter what the day. As I think about my ordinary day, little miracles of life are all around. This beautiful, heartbreaking wonderful world is an ongoing love letter from God. We just need to stop and read it.

"Earth's crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God." - Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Cleaning Day - Banana Bread

When you are cleaning the kitchen don't throw those brown bananas away! I found a super easy banana bread recipe.

Heat oven to 350'. Grease 9"x5" loaf pan.
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups Jiffy or any baking mix
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 medium)
1/3 cup chopped nuts - optional

Cream shortening and sugar. Combine remaining ingredients and mix until well blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake about 55 minutes. Cool on a rack before slicing.

While cleaning the kitchen this morning, I found several bananas left over from last weekend's camping trip. Ewe! I don't like throwing food away and this is a great recipe to use. It's simple and my family loves it. For fun I add a little nutmeg and brown sugar on the top before placing it into the oven.

I like to use farm fresh eggs. Visit your local Farmers' Market or watch for signs along country roads. They run about $2 a dozen.