"The Smell of Money"

Movies use that line to describe someone who is ambitious. I hate the smell of money. I think it's the inks that are used to print it and I'm pretty sure they offgas for decades. Get paper money really close to your nose (not advisable) and one can detect the lingering smell of stale cigarette smoke or the stench of sweaty palms. Just imagine where that money might have been? In the hands of people who don't wash their hands after they use the restroom, in the pants pocket of a dirty homeless person who urinates on himself, dropped on the floor of a gas station bathroom, between the breasts of a stripper or down the pants of a male stripper. Good Lord! Money is nice to spend, but to handle it? It grosses me out. I prefer the line "Money is Evil."

Yesterday I ran errands most of the day going in and out of stores. I rarely have a problem, but I know where to shop, which cashiers to avoid, and I pretty much avoid all shoppers as I skirt the edges of the store and move quickly. I have the system memorized and well-rehearsed. 

When I arrived home I looked in my coin purse to see what was left. Damage assessment. Whew! Someone gave me a handful of money drenched in perfume. It was in a tight little wad so it came from one place and it must have happened so quickly I didn't notice it at the time. Grab my change, thank the cashier, stuff it in the coin purse, shove it in my purse, leave. Transaction is done. It's automatic. I rarely take the time to smell the money at the check stand.

STINK! I almost shoved it back into the purse to get it away from my air space, but that would continue to contaminate everything. I grabbed a plastic baggie from my drawer and sealed it in. I needed to get rid of it. I drove to the gas station and gave it to the attendant.

"I don't know how much is in there, but I'd like to get some gas." I smiled. "It stinks," I said as I stepped back as if I thought it would explode. He opened it and counted $17.00. Hmmm...that must have been the grocery store where I bought the batteries. "Tena" was the checker's name. I'll need to remember that.

It never ceases to amaze me how a chemically sensitive person can be poisoned. It can come out of left field just when you let your guard down.

I've never liked the smell of money anyway.

Snowflake, or Bust

Snowflake, here I come! Well, I hope. As soon as I realized I might have some time to travel, my van started acting up so it has spent nearly all this last week in the shop getting fixed and checked to be travel-ready.

Snowflake of My Dreams
(Mermaids hiding in the water.)

 

 

I plan to drive through Oregon, California and across to Arizona for those of you who want to stalk me. I'm hoping to find some off-season cheap or free camping. California is still in the 80s with nights in the 60s, but Snowflake is in the 70s with the nights dipping into the 20s. Yes, that's not a typo: the TWENTIES! Colder than my refrigerator. It's going to be an uncomfortable camping experience so I'm not really sure how long I'll last. I'll probably high-tail it back to California and stay warm.

I found a bunny-sitter for Peter, but that won't stop me from worrying about him.

Snowflake Reality
(Snakes hiding in the tumbleweeds.)

The stars are all aligned and it's time for some action. I'm so tired of just waiting for something to happen, simmering and stagnant. UGH! Either Snowflake will totally turn me off (aside from all the negatives on my already lengthy "con" list) or I'll find a solution. I'll settle for a suitable rental so I can try the area out before making any permanent commitments. Whatever happens at least I can stop wondering and move forward.

Wish me luck!

UPDATE: For my stalkers...it's pre-dawn the day of my departure and I've changed my route! I haven't been getting good feedback from an online friend who is currently visiting Snowflake. It sounds like hell! I decided to check out southern Colorado on the way there so I've changed my route to Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Snowflake. I'll return via California and Oregon so if Snowflake is a real bust, I can leave early and spend extra time looking in these areas.

Heating Options (Update)

I've contacted many people over the last two weeks trying to figure out what I can do about my lack of healthy heat. It's a slow process trying to get people to come to the edge of civilization for estimates or evaluations. Some refuse to come as it's too far away (darn). Some don't show at all nor do they return my calls/emails (unprofessional). Some tell me there is nothing they can do since I can't smell the problem and the furnace is working fine (idiots). Some have treated me like I'm stupid (morons). Some have come for appointments right on time AND fragrance-free (awesome). It makes me want to give them money just for showing up. While I gather information, I've been using one small radiator heater located in a sectioned off 10 x 10 space surrounding my desk and computer. The concentrated heat and lack of air give me headaches yet the lack of consistent air quality and dead, recirculated flow keeps my fingers and toes freezing. So weird. The outside temperatures haven't dropped too low, but they will. I need to find a solution, yet be smart about it.

Options:

Portable Oil-Filled Radiator Heaters  This is what I'm using now. It's definitely heating the small space it's in, but I think I'd need at least five to heat the whole downstairs. They don't have built-in fans to circulate the warmth so they aren't very efficient. I tried this a few years ago for one month as I was trying to figure out how to not use my heating system then and my bills skyrocketed. I know it's not a permanent solution.

Fireplaces or Wood-Burning Stoves  I think these are great for emergencies or power outages, but my lungs can't handle the smoke. I have no desire to chop and haul wood daily either. My house used to have a fireplace years ago, but the previous owners removed it because it was such a hassle to maintain. A wood-burning stove or fireplace insert can run anywhere from $300 to $8,000 or more. My neighbor has the $8,000 model. She's an idiot. Spewing smoke into the already polluted air is not very responsible and cutting trees for firewood uses valuable resources unnecessarily. Another option are pellet stoves, but those offgas toxic fumes if they are not maintained regularly.

Radiant Heat  This is the type of heat that is supposedly the best for chemically sensitive people. It uses heated water in pipes so there are no fans blowing dust or toxic materials and filters don't need to be changed constantly. No risk of burnt dust which is toxic to many. It's usually under the floor, although old-style is above ground in cast-iron radiators. These are still very popular in Europe. Old-style also runs off gas or water heaters and is not as cost effective as the newer models which run off natural gas or oil. For new construction, this is a great option. For old houses, forget it. I've been told the cost to install it in a old house is astronomical.

Heat Pump/Furnace  With this option, I'd have to replace what I have with a brand new system or repair parts of it to get rid of the cheap and toxic fiberglass duct board. I can't see doing this as I doubt if there would be anyway to avoid formaldehyde, plastics, fiberglass insulation, or other toxic materials that are used. I'd still have the forced air blowing dust around and it's expensive at around $2,000 to $3,500 depending on how much replacement I'd need.

Ductless Heat Pump  I have no idea why I never heard of this years ago when I was researching for a brand new central heating system. It's like a high-powered wall heater/air conditioner that runs on a heat pump from the outside. No ducts. No under-the-house-personal hell. One heater unit can heat the whole house and is about 40 - 50 % more efficient than a regular heat pump, or so all the salespeople and sales ads say. Unfortunately, installation is incredibly expensive to the tune of $3800.00 for just one heater unit. This is not an expense that thrills me since I want to sell the house in the next few years.

Wall Heaters   I got a quote for either one big wall heater or two small ones for two different rooms: $471 and $538, respectively. People love them and I've heard they are very cost effective. Wall heaters use fans to circulate the air which makes them a little more efficient than a radiator oil-filled heater. I have them upstairs in my bedrooms so I know they work fine. I think my heating bills would go up, but more importantly, I really don't want to be cutting open the walls and adding heaters.

Infrared Portable Heaters  When my two elderly neighbors told me they had space heaters I envisioned the radiator-style and wondered how they could ever afford it. As I mentioned above, I know these expend a lot of energy and I worried how much more their bills are than mine. Finally one day I got the nerve to ask. I know it's rude to ask people about finances, but I couldn't help myself and both their houses are about the same year and size as mine. I needed to know! Both replaced their oil furnaces with these little infrared portable electric heaters although they do also have wall heaters that are used on occasion. Their electric bills are a little more than mine during the winter, but not that much. They invited me over to have a look. One of my neighbors had three of them on her main floor and her house was at least 80 degrees! BUT the heaters were awesome. EdenPure is the brand.Very quiet and efficient. They highly recommended them so I started researching. Most cost about $400. Our local hardware store carries them with $60 tacked onto the online price just for the fun of it (UGH!) and several of the store employees use them. One of those employees is a friend of mine and offered to loan me his for a few days to try it out:

 

Toasty! I have it on the lowest setting and have had to turn it off every now and then because it is so efficient. Reviews online are about 50% love them, 50% hate them. I'm not sure if there is a pattern, but everyone I know doesn't run them on high and it makes me wonder if the naysayers do? Some claim it doesn't heat a small room, but confess they have old-style windows and not very good insulation. Some claim if it breaks down, sending it back to the company for repairs is a nightmare, but anyone I've spoken to who has had problems (the bulbs burn out after about a year and need to be replaced) say it was easy, fast and painless. There is a 5-year warranty on the larger unit. I really like that if I get one I can take it with me when I move so it's not money I will lose when I sell the house. And, it's made in America! How rare is that?

I wonder how much this will affect my electric bills? Will this little unit use less energy than my whole central heating system? My two elderly neighbors' bills are a little higher than mine but they also use multiple heaters plus their wall heaters. Others have said it saves them money especially if they are using a furnace as this little unit keeps the inside temperature stable so the furnace doesn't kick on as often.

Time will tell. I'll update this post when I discover more.

Tolerable Laundry Detergent!

I've been noticing my Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid, the All-Purpose Miracle Soap sometimes smells strongly on clothing. This is not good. It's only when I hand wash a sweater or something thick. I'm probably not rinsing the soap out adequately, no matter how hard I try, no matter how many times I rinse. Although it works fine in the laundry, it's not really meant to be used that way so even a laundry load never really rinses well and I often have to wash twice to get the soap residue off the fabric.

A few weeks ago I was shopping the house cleaning aisle at my local co-op and thought I should sample the bulk, fragrance- and chemical-free laundry detergent they have for sale. I sniff tested it before pouring and it was fine. I tried it on several loads of laundry and even washed my toilet with it. Soap must be multi-purpose to be justifiable. It doesn't smell nor does it bother me! I re-washed all my sweaters. And it's cheaper than Planet by about half price!

Hooray!

"PAINT ME TURQUOISE!"

I couldn't wait to strip and paint my new bed and decided it's not a good winter project since it would have to be done out in the garage during cold, wet weather. I decided to take advantage of the few remaining days of sunny autumn days to get it done although I'm pretty much past my toxic load limit.

I was tormented over the color choice. White would be neutral and safe, match all the other bed frames, match any room color, match any linens, and I could use low VOC paint.

1930s Maple Twin with Egg Posts

Pointy Post Bed, Full-Size
(I have no idea what year. It was free.)

The problem with white is I'd have to buy another gallon of expensive, toxic paint and I'm trying to get rid of my paint supply so I'm not tempted to do more painting projects. White also accentuates every surface problem. Shiny white really makes them glare. This bed is really dinged up and no matter how I try to fill in cracks or sand surface problems, I'm not good at making things look perfect.


 

Turquoise would match one color in the rug of my blue room and I had a whole bunch of left over turquoise from the pantry project. I wasn't thrilled about buying another gallon of paint just to paint this bed frame, but that turquoise isn't low VOC which means the bed may have to stay out in the garage for the next six months to offgas. Turquoise also wouldn't match the other beds, but should it? Maybe I should be daring?

 

Turquoise won. When the time came the bed screamed, "PAINT ME TURQUOISE!" I couldn't control myself. I planned to paint a tiny obscure sample to see what it looked like and I just kept painting. It was my alter ego Yatna practicing being BRAVE. I did, however, make it a shade lighter than the pantry thinking it would match the rug. 

Much to my dismay, I didn't like the turquoise. Damn. It didn't match the rug like I thought it would as the rug's turquoise is a greenish-tinted turquoise. Jeez. I didn't even like it with the blue. My multiple personalities aren't getting along. So I did what any chemically sensitive person who is at her toxic limit would do...I took another few days and repainted it toxic white. I used the left over floor paint which is strong, but smelly. This is called sado-masochism. Or stupidity. Or frugality. Or maybe just a serious case of paint addiction.

Late 1800s Three-Quarter Spool Bed

But it looks better and matches the trim, floor and all the other beds. Once I find some slats and add the mattress, the blue bedspread will help it match the rug. I think it looks bigger white.

The rainy season has started so I hesitate to leave it out in the garage where it is too damp. I brought it into the house where it is smelling up the guest bedroom. Windows open, doors closed. I'll give it about nine months to offgas and in the meantime look for free slats to hold up the mattress.

I love my mini-bed collection.

Toxic Heating (Update)

Duct Man came and had a looked. He was quite disappointed. As you recall, he started moaning when I told him about Santy Claws so he expected and hoped for the worst. I'm sure a messed up crawlspace is a duct repair person's ultimate dream. However, Santy Claws was a very tidy guest and did no damage at all! Well, excluding the bits of opossum shit here and there. Duct Man was concerned with the old-style duct walls used to cage the air return vents. They are made with fiberglass and over time the surface will disintegrate. Heating systems with duct walls can't be cleaned because they will loosen the fiberglass fibers creating a [more] toxic breathing situation. He neither replaces or cleans ducts nor duct walls so I could see he was a little disappointed more of it wasn't falling apart so he could repair something.

I guess I should be happy he doesn't need to repair and charge me a lot to do what he would do, but this doesn't offer a solution to my problem. At the very least, I really wanted to have the system cleaned.

So again I contacted the heating company that recommended Duct Man and asked their advice. As I waited to hear back I decided I needed some guilty pleasure treats to get me through the trauma of it all so I drove to the nearest town. On the drive back home I saw the heating company's office! I decided to pay them a personal visit. The office was non-smelly which is always a good sign. My heating guy is GORGEOUS! :) Really, truly gorgeous. And charming. And knowledgeable. I've made an appointment for an inspection for Monday to find out how expensive this could be.



I'm personal hygiene-impaired...

Problem with any solution at this point is it might not rectify the problem. I still can't figure out why I am so sick this year and not so much previous years. I did accompany Duct Man under the house donning my homemade bio-hazard suit with added mechanic-style jumpsuit. Crawling through opossum shit was not fun, but I felt adequately protected. (Good Lord, the things I do as a home owner!) Am I reacting just to the opossum shit deposits from last Christmas? Maybe, but I can't imagine or I would have been feeling poorly last winter and spring. The fiberglass has also been there for as long as I've lived here. It's a mystery, as health often is.

The cayenne pepper wasn't too bad as it's so old now. I'll have to re-apply when all this is over.

Again, I may just opt for no centralized heat and use only space heaters until I can move, but I think it'll be a very cold winter...or two!

Heating

Portrait of Misery

My heating system is making me sick. In preparation for the arrival of winter, I turned it on and within two hours I felt like I had a horrible case of flu, bronchitis, and pneumonia all rolled into one. Breathing became difficult, my sinuses hurt, my throat felt like it was on fire, my neck swelled, my ears congested, my face rash returned, and my head began to pound. Maybe I'm just sick? It's like I'm in constant denial although I've been dealing with this same "sickness" every winter since I moved into this house. Every October when I turn on the heat it's the same nightmare and I spend months waiting desperately for May to arrive so I can turn the heat off again. This year the illness came much faster and was twice as bad as any previous year. I turned the heat off and it nearly all went away.

I've been calling around interviewing heating repair people and getting ideas. Is it ozone caused by a haywire filtering system? Or do the air ducts need to be inspected, cleaned and sealed because they are sucking in the dust, mold, and rat shit from under the house? The public utilities department gives rebates to have the duct sealing done and this seems like the most likely scenario. Sounds like a good plan until I started asking the right questions.

First and foremost, the duct repair guy doesn't wear perfume or scented products. I'm not sure he knows what scented products means, but at least he acted like he understood the question.

I tell the him when I had the heat off all summer if there was a wind outside I could feel it coming through the vents. He says the ducts must be compromised, in other words, there is a hole somewhere. I confessed Santy Claws was living under my house last Christmas and he started moaning. It's not a good sign when the heating guy starts moaning. Yeah, I already knew opossums are known for trashing heating systems. Yeah, I know they poop all over creating a bacterial health hazard. Yeah, I know this could mean lots of money. I didn't mention rats or mold to him. I was afraid he'd start crying. Moaning was bad enough. I did warn him about the cayenne pepper all over. (Someone told me cinnamon also works to deter rodents and spiders! I can't believe it would be as good as cayenne. I would think rats would like something that smells like bakery goods.)

What is use to seal the ducts? Mastic sealant. Oh, you know the stuff that offgases methanol, ethylene glycol, and ammonia from two weeks to six months.

What about duct replacement materials saturated in formaldehyde. Oh great. I am doomed.

Here it is. If I repair this heating system there might be a chance it would render me homeless. An option would be to have the whole heating system re-done and go to radiant heat, but do I really want to spend that kind of money on a house I want to sell? Do I have a choice since moving right away is not an option. The new owners will have the ducts cleaned, sealed, and have no problem. Can I live without central heat for the next couple years until I sell it? It's gonna get cold!

Pondering the options.

What a hassle.

MudGirls

This is a collective of women who build houses using earth, nature and recycled materials! They are located in British Columbia, give workshops, and will travel to build you a home! Check out their website HERE.

Can I join? All that girl bonding looks like fun!

Habanero Hell Fires, or Jerk Chicken (recipe)

I found this Jerk Chicken recipe and was reminded of the good ole days when free feasting at awesome restaurants was still allowed. The ingredients were all on my diet so I thought I'd give it a try. I need some spicy chicken in my life.

As I'm throwing everything together the night before, I start questioning the Paleo diet. Spices? Aren't they considered processed?  Dried, blended, pummeled and contained seems like processing to me, but Paleo people use them all the time. I also read vinegar and salt are NOT Paleo. That makes sense, even though I've been using both since day one of starting this diet. But why aren't spices forbidden?

It matters not when one is attempting Jerk Chicken as without spices it would just be plain chicken which is rather boring. I do this diet for health so as long as the foods are on my diet, it doesn't matter to me if it's strictly Paleo or not. I like a new and exciting recipe.

The recipe calls for habanero peppers. I once had an Ecuadorean co-worker who would bring habanero-laced potluck dishes to work.  Full of cultural pride, she warned me they were the hottest pepper on the planet. The food she shared was superb so I've always had a special place in my heart for habaneros.

I've never had a problem cutting peppers or handling their seeds with bare hands until about a year ago. I sliced up a jalapeno and all was fine...at first. About thirty minutes later I made the mistake of scratching my nose. My nose started burning spreading to my sinuses, eyes and mouth. Then out of the blue my hands started burning with such intensity I thought they would fall off! The pain didn't stop until some time during the middle of the night.

Since that experience I always wear gloves while handling hot peppers. These habaneros were so strong I could feel the heat through the gloves. While cleaning up I felt a slight twinge of burning in one eye. Why? My hands weren't near my eye! This worried me. All of a sudden I felt unprepared. What have I done? I diced and seeded them on the counter, using knives, and put them in my blender. How do I clean this stuff without contaminating the sponge? Will it contaminate other foods with the oils? Should I never, ever remove my gloves?

I got online and read too many habanero hell stories, including stories of how the mist of habanero oil floating through the air can get into the eye! Few people had solutions for relief, but finally I began seeing some remedies. Ammonia, yellow mustard, and olive oil worked for some people, but not all. Soap and water will spread the oil and intensify the burning. Acid neutralizes the capsicum which is what causes the burning: lemon juice, lime juice or VINEGAR. How many thousands of uses does vinegar have??? I ran for the vinegar and nearly used a whole gallon to sterilize the counter tops, bowls, knives, sponges, sink, and blender. I was so afraid I washed everything down three times! Success! It worked. I'm still afraid of the garbage where the habanero seeds are waiting.

I also read some people have problems eating hot peppers although if one has enough stomach acid, that natural acid will neutralize the capsicum just like vinegar. Not enough stomach acid, drink vinegar or lemon juice. An alternative is drinking milk or eating a tablespoon of olive oil, but this doesn't work for everyone. There is a reason hot and spicy foods are often served with potatoes, rice or bread!

Jerk Chicken

Ingredients for the marinade:
2 limes, juice and zest
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1/2 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 bunch green onions, white and green parts, sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 to 1 1/2 habaneros, seeded (depending on your level of courage)
2 tablespoons honey or other sweetener
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 cup olive oil

The day before, mix all these ingredients together in a blender until it is a smooth paste. I find fresh thyme leaves difficult. Removing teeny little leaves off a teeny little stem tries my patience. However, I have six thyme bushes and rarely use this herb so this was an opportunity. Honey isn't on my diet but this recipe has a hot-tangy-sweet taste so some kind of sweetener is appropriate for those of you who aren't worried about blood sugar levels. The orange juice might be enough sweetness.

 

Take one chicken and butterfly it OR buy a bunch of chicken pieces, about two pounds worth. Put it in a large bowl and place the marinade sauce over it, mixing it up. Cover and place bowl in the refrigerator overnight.

Next day:
Remove chicken with sauce from the refrigerator and let sit to room temperature for one hour.

Preheat oven 375 degrees. Place chicken on a rack on top of a sheet pan or use a broiler pan. Spoon some extra marinade on the pieces and season with another 2 teaspoons of allspice and sprinkle with salt. Bake 50-60 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Mmmmm...perfectly spicy. The marinade sauce gets crispy and blackish. I ate mine with Kabocha squash. It took me a while to get brave enough to touch the chicken and until then I used a fork and knife to maneuver it.

Yum.