Spree

I've continued my Party Series on my bedroom nightstand. This one is called Spree.

I keep thinking I should do a different pattern, but I LOVE these dots!! So cheerful.

HAPPY EASTER!

Non-Toxic Adhesive Removal

Lately I've been reading a lot of articles about the hundreds of uses for coconut oil. It is heralded as a non-toxic remedy for anything from acid reflux to cellulite, diaper rash to yeast infections. The most interesting use was for adhesive removal. You know, peel the label off a glass jar and what's left is the icky, sticky residue from the toxic glue. In the past I have purchased toxic, chemical-based removers and donned fashionable masks, goggles and gloves. Now, coconut oil doesn't come cheap so I don't know if I'd want to use it a lot for adhesive removal but I thought I'd give it a try just to see if it works. So I spread the coconut oil over the sticky stuff and let it sit for 24 hours. It did nothing. Still icky and sticky.

A friend of mine mentioned peanut butter should also do the trick. Hmmm...is it the oils? I just so happen to have a small jar of incredibly cheap peanut butter I bought years ago for rodent bait.

It smells less like peanut butter and looks more like shortening, but I figured mice, rats, and opossums might like it. There is no way I'd ever eat it. The ingredients are: peanuts, sugar and/or dextrose, hydrogenated vegetable oil (rapeseed and cottonseed), salt. Yes, people really eat this and pretend it's food. The expiration date on this jar is 05-06-08 and I keep it on hand should I ever discover unwanted crawlspace roommates again. Over the years when I see it sitting on the highest shelf in the laundry room I constantly think I should throw that away. I'm glad I didn't now!

I generously frosted the icky-sticky jar with peanut butter and sat it on the counter. How long do I wait? I had no idea so I left it there for a few days. On the third day I took a paper towel and wiped. It all came off including the sticky stuff! Hooray!

Newly inspired, I took all my recycled sticky jars out of their storage and frosted them with peanut butter for some experimentation. The stink of the fake peanut butter was nauseating so I wrapped them in plastic bags.

At 12 hours, the sticky stuff didn't come off at all. At 36 hours, most of it came off but not all. Three days more of it came off but on some jars small dots of sticky was still left. Perhaps that is where it was thickest? Since I'm in the experimenting mood, I decided to try the coconut oil again leaving it on the jar for three days. It all came off!

Hooray! 

Another non-toxic substitute for toxic chemical products!

Who needs chemicals anyway???

R.I.P. Toshiba, My Darling

Today I lovingly carried my very heavy Toshiba television set to the garbage truck, positioned myself to chuck her in, and stopped short just at the edge. I couldn't do it. I started to feel weepy.

My Toshiba television has accompanied me on my life's journey for twenty years, witnessing the highs and keeping me sane through the lows.  She spent her first years with someone else who eagerly passed her to me in order to upgrade to a higher standard of technology. I have no idea how long my friend had her, but I felt like I won the lottery as 19 inches was a whole lot bigger than 12 inches. I sold my hand-me-down 12-inch television set in a yard sale later that year.

Unfortunately after twenty plus years of use, the picture started acting strange about a year ago. The bottom half of people's bodies became stunted and out of proportion making them look like gnomes. Still I persevered. I could still see the picture so what do I care if Brad Pitt looks extra short? Then last week the unthinkable happened: the sound started going in and out. Drats. Why can't our possessions last forever? Especially if they were free?

Last December during the Christmas sales I prepared for the worst and started shopping. I purchased a Samsung flat screen. It was the very first television purchase I have ever made. (Thank you to everyone who supplied me with hand-me-downs throughout my whole adult life.)

First, it stunk of offgassing chemicals. The whole living room stunk. The stand was wobbly and the remote didn't work if my DVD player was anywhere near the TV. The motion speed was horribly nauseating. The sound didn't work unless it was turned up to the highest level and even then it was tinny. Disgusted with new technology I opted to return the newbie and settled happily on my old, but trustworthy Toshiba praying she would last forever. Fast forward to March and with no sound I knew it was over. I can tolerate gnomes starring in all movies, but not being able to hear what they are saying is a deal breaker.

March is supposedly the month one should buy televisions as it's this time of year when the new models are arriving and the stores lower the prices on the older models. Besides there are no materialistic holidays during this time and stores are doing their darnedest to tempt customers. I headed back to the store only this time I was armed with information from my past purchasing experience. Motion speed, screen size, and sound were important, but look at that price! A whopping $30.00 less than last year. I bought the more expensive model with the better features.

Happy to say not only is my new Vizio cheaper than it was last year, but it doesn't stink like the Samsung did and it actually works. Also planning ahead to tiny living AND because of EMF worries, I purchased the smaller 32 inch size. I still worry about the radiation that might be wafting through my living room, but I have not noticed any negative effects.

Hooray! I am one step further away from technological impairment.

As I looked into the garbage truck hole, I yelled at the garbage man, "This is HARD!!!" He thought I meant it was too heavy, when in fact, I felt like crying and couldn't bring myself to dump my sweet TV into that cold, dirty garbage truck and watch her shatter. He rushed to my side and helped as tears welled in my eyes. I looked away as I heard the glass hit the metal.  Although I was tempted to run back to my house and cry in my pillow, I decided I needed to look. I needed the closure as if I were at an open-casket funeral. She laid there amidst the garbage, her screen staring at me accusingly. Well...not really, but I still felt sad.

R.I.P. Toshiba TV. Thank you for years of entertainment and joy.