leverage and laundry

Today is just a quick little housekeeping post.
I've noticed lately that my strength is sapped. ( I must need a vacation. . .snicker)
I always prided myself on being able to open all my jars myself and rarely needed assistance.
However, I believe they are making jars tighter.
(I'm sure you'll all agree)
My "mil" has been using one of these to open her jars for years. She has rheumatoid arthritis and has learned a few tricks to help her in the kitchen.
This little device is purchased in a hardware store in the mechanic tool section.
Ask for a strap wrench.
It is used to remove oil filters and jar lids.
Okay, well they don't actually say that but its true.
Just slip the rubber band over the stubborn sealed lid and turn counter clockwise and

it's off. . . .


Oh and another thing I wanted to mention is that I've been struggling with the dingies.
I seem to have a love affair with buying white. (Remember my closet cleaning post?)
Yes, well that white theme carries on with my towels, dishcloths, Tea towels, bedding and so on.

The problem may be in the handy new fangled front load washing machine.
It uses water sparingly since we live in a very dry climate.. . . . (smirk)
I use about half the "he" low suds required detergent as suggested and I still find that I need one extra rinse to remove all the suds.

Now, generally speaking, I love this machine. My hand washing days are done and
even really dirt barn laundry is no problem .. .
but it's my whites that leave me wondering about dingies.


Come on the scene .. .Mrs. Stewart's liquid bluing.
Does anyone remember her?
My mom used to buy her special wild blue liquid in a glass bottle that was handled with the utmost care. One drop of this blue dye and you are marked for life.
I'm sorry you can't read the writing on the bottom of the bottle.
Fantastic news if you have cottony white hair. . . use a drop or two in the rinse water it says.
Also safe for pets . .. .hmmm.


So, I did my white towels in the usual way and then after the final rinse I pushed the rinse button one more time and added a drop or two of Mrs. Stewart's blue liquid. While I was doing this I was chatting on the phone to my friend Kathy and she asked if I didn't dilute it first. . ..
So . .I ran and opened the washing machine and was relieved to see that no harm had been done .. the bluing left no dots.


So. . .have you your pedometers securely fastened?
I don't. (snicker) I'm preparing this week for a sabbatical and feel that if I haven't firmed up in the last seven weeks .. . I'm hooped.
What's this? A sabbatical?
(click on the link above to read about sabbaticals but keep in mind that I have only been blogging
a short time and the full year that they suggest is not yet allotted to me . .I'm also thinking that someone should inform them about bloggers in their list)

I won't be available to "coach" the walking club until after Easter .. . (stay tuned for more details) and so the first bloggy walking member that offers can have the job of "coach" for the next few weeks .. . (I'll be all about fitness again after the sabbatical)




Oh do pop by tomorrow, I have fantastic news .. .
woo hoo

Comments

  1. funny you mention sabbatical,
    i started a sabbatical march first, and am taking about 6 months. unfortunately, or fortunately which ever way you look at it, i still need to work but the sabbatical is from other commitments.........i hope you have a good one.
    yes i remember that blueing agent, my mother, (the laundry queen) still uses it, perhaps i should too because i don't like the bright of my whites......have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Funny, when I met you at Safeway that day I almost felt like I was meeting a celebrity. =) It just seemed funny, you know like when as a child you meet your teacher somewhere other than school. Anyways, I'm glad to hear that Mrs Stewart's bluing worked well for you. Whites need to be white. There's something about that feeling of making something look new again!
    Have a great sabbatical!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh Anneliese, I'm just laughing. You funny girl. .. when I saw you I thought oh boy . .do I ask Anneliese for a helpful hint with my laundry since I know what a wonderful homemaker you are? You would be the perfect candidate for a homemaking blog.
    It was so nice to run into you that day.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I had forgotten about that blueing agent but I think I'll have to get some too. I would like my whites to look a little whiter!
    Wonder what's up for tomorrow's post??
    Enjoy your sabbatical Lovella, we'll miss you a lot!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I didn't realize Mrs. Stewart's was still around! Boy, do I remember my mother using that. Funny you should mention about hard-to-open jars, too. I have a great little gripper that I like to use, but even that failed me yesterday. It took both of us gripping and twisting to get a jar open last night. Perhaps a trip to the hardware store is due...

    Funny, too, that you should mention taking a sabbatical. I just commented last week on my daughter's blog that perhaps she should consider a sabbatical from her studies (Masters degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) because she's feeling so overwhelmed right now (marriage, work, church activities, studies, and she works with the youth at church...she has already taken a sabbatical of sorts from blogging: she manages to write something every couple of months!).

    Oh, you should be writing suspense novels...you do a great job with setting up the cliffhanger!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey there, you with the sunglasses and "Household Diva" on your shirt:

    Did you ever grow "gardens" using blueing and charcoal? It was a popular activity back when I was in white socks and saddle shoes.

    If I remember right, you poured the blueing on charcoal, and then after few days white spikes would start growing and eventually you'd have magical looking almost sand castle like structures.

    Since you are all caught up on your laudry and jar opening and walking I thought maybe you would like a suggestion for a "fun' activity to fill up the rest of your day.

    I'd hate for you to be bored when you have a bottle bluing so handy.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Looks like we have matching washer/dryers! I love them too, but I have also wonder about the amount of detergent. Where did you find that snazzy Mrs. Stewarts- I might need to give it a try. I seem to have a lot of white loads- might be all those onesies adding up!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanx for the laundry tip. Today I am trying something new, I am making homemade laundry detergent. I hope it works well.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I also have the same washer & dryer. Have you had any problems with a musty odour in the washer? That's been my complaint! I now leave my door ajar and wipe rubber sealer with bleach quite regularly.

    Thanks for the 'blueing' tip...anything to brighten my whites is worth a try.

    Have fun preparing for the sabbatical!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I remember as a kid we would ask our Mom about why there were ladies with 'BLUE' hair in church. She would tell us that her little blue bottle for laundry use had another use as well. Funny how many of us have wondered why teens like to dye their hair many wonderful colors...when this has been a trend some of our Moms and Grandma's paved the way for. They were trend setters and probably never knew it. I'll stick with my foils and hopefully white laundry! Kathy

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm going to look around for the bluing - I have white towels that aren't so white anymore. Does it eat them like Javex?

    Hmmm...anout the fantastic news

    Here's my guess - a vacation is in the works.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love white like you do. I could buy new white towels all the time. I love the feel of them. I remember that stuff, cuz my mom used to use it.
    I remember applying for a sabbatical for one of my profs. It's a huge requirement and yes, there is compensation but there is professional development between with stacks of reading and homework assignments.
    I'm wondering if that's the kind of sabbatical you are referring to.

    ReplyDelete
  13. You always seem to have such great housekeeping advice. I love white too, but I have started trying to end this little love affair since I don't like it when they become 'dingy.' Please let us know where one can find this Mrs. Stewart's? I will have to get some! --Amber

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh for those that wanted to know, I bought Mrs. Stewarts at Safeway., and iat was by the spot removers and bleaches.

    ReplyDelete
  15. we all need sabbaticals, that's for sure. i'll miss reading your blog, but will definitely check it out tomorrow. you've peaked my curiosity!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I had no idea blueing was still around...I might give that blueing a try...I also have white towels and sheets....love that crisp, clean white!

    I think we walkers can coach ourselves for a little while...during your upcoming sabbatical. And, I'm excited to find out more about whatever is in the works for you these next few weeks, I'll be back tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hmmmm, something's up. Sounds exciting!

    That bluing did a fantastic job on your white towels. I use Oxiclean.

    Someday I'll have to share my jar opener. It's straight out of the Dark Ages, but it works like a charm. What you're using is brilliant!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Lovella,
    I'll keep posting the weekly blog step total and if you want me to do anything else let me know what...Have a great sabbatical...

    ReplyDelete
  19. I have one of those jar openers too... Vic bought me one when my joints were really painful... It really wasn't much good because whoever made it only had half the idea... what was going to hold the jar tight for me so I could use this nifty thing to turn the lid ???
    I had to resort to my two legged jar turner - waiting until he was available !!

    Blueing used to be as important as soap... I haven't bought it in a while .. but your gleaming white towels have inspired me to put it on my shopping list.

    Who but you could get 19 comments on a post about a jar opener and blueing !!!! smile (of course you did add that little hint of suspence!!)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great tips. Have you heard of Works For Me Wednesday? This would fit right in. You can find it at http://rocksinmydryer.net.

    ReplyDelete
  21. i always use a spoon to pop the seal on a jar. place it just under the lip of the lid and it works every time!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you!