Use nine: Try softening brushes that are hardened with old, dried-in paint by boiling them in vinegar and let them stand for one hour. Then heat the vinegar and brushes come to a gentle boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Rinse well, working the softened paint out of the bristles. For extremely heavy paint encrustations, you may need to repeat the process...or head to the hardware store.

Use ten: A little vinegar and salt added to the water you wash leafy green vegetables will float out bugs and kill germs.

Use eleven: Soak or simmer stuck-on food in 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of vinegar. The food will soften and lift off in a few minutes.

Use twelve: Clean and freshen the garbage disposal by running a tray of ice cubes, with 1/2 cup of vinegar poured over them, through it once a week.

Use thirteen: In a pinch, you can use equal parts of lemon juice and vinegar to clean brass and copper. On difficult areas add a little salt to the mix for some abrasive action.

Monday, July 5, 2010

50. Small Town America

What a  wonderful  Fourth of July!  We  cleaned up after  the jam  episode  and  decided  it was the  perfect
opportunity to take a drive.  Bud and Preston were heading  for a BBQ at Bud's old  high  school  chum Jay's
house.  So we were free as birds on the wing.  We didn't take time to try to Google the surrounding venues, we just took off.  Things usually work out for us, we tend to do things by the seat of our pants anyway.  No expectations and no disappointments.  Arroyo Grande isn't far and they have a charming park with a swinging bridge over a running creek.  They usually have an art show there in conjunction with the Art Association, Village Association and the local farmer's market.  No luck, the park was empty of venders, but we noticed several folks on the sidewalk carrying lawn chairs.  With the thought that there was something going on, we followed them to a little park on the other side of the creek where we found a band concert just beginning.  What luck!
                                                                                    

We didn't have lawn chairs with us, but everyone else came  prepared so that left the picnic table to the few of us who just happened by.  Maggie settled in under the table in the shade and Bob and I purchased a baseball cap and a visor from a vendor and all was well.  We enjoyed John Philip Sousa and other classics accompanied by the obligatory grilled hot dogs, the perfect afternoon in celebration of our Independence Day!  The conductor was our old pal, Gary Thompson.  He was the band and choir director for one of the local junior high schools and after retirement has conducted the city band.  It is, I'm sure a thankless job, but it is in his blood and they seemed to be having a great time.  As usual, we didn't win any of the door prizes, but what the heck, our house is full anyway and all the profits go to a good cause.  We took the long way home humming Yankee Doodle glad to be alive in such a great country.  All bad news will never convince me of anything different.  Maybe I'm just a Pollyanna, but I believe we are still a great nation and we will overcome all the divisiveness.  It is wonderful to be a part of small town America no matter what it's size!  

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