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.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

119. TLC

We are taking advantage of the June Gloom here in our canyon to finish the weed abatement.  The new heavy duty gas weed whacker that Bob got for his birthday makes the job so much easier without the cord to contend with.  It's the least I could do with it being his birthday and all.  He will be 71 on Sunday and the weather isn't the only "gloom."  Oh, not really, his arthritis makes him pretty miserable most of the time and the overcast weather just makes it worse, but he doesn't let it stop him.  I had to lay down some guidelines for the rest of the week though because we are going to my 50th class reunion on Saturday and I intend to do a little dancing and I would like it to be with him.  If I don't make him be sensible he will go till he drops and then not be able to move for a couple of days.

It's so hard to believe that it will be my 50th reunion.  Where did the time go?  I feel 40 until I look in the mirror and I have to stop and think...Good grief...that strange old lady is me!  Gravity is a hateful thing.  I've learned to be careful when I wave to folks that I do so in a manner that keeps the skin on the under side of my upper arm from flopping around.  I'm so happy to have met my goal weight and life time status with Weight Watchers, but it didn't help the wrinkle factor.  I guess you really can't have the "Whole Enchilada."

The battle with the gophers in the one flower bed is still raging.  I have learned that they are like a mouse in that if there is one tiny little place in the wire that doesn't meet and they can get their head through it's good bye gazenia.  I've tried gum down the hole...the jury is still out on that.  I'll keep it up because they don't seem to come back to that particular hole.  I'm using rubber gloves so there is none of my scent on the gum, a tip from our friendly neighborhood OSH gentleman.  My friend, Buffy, told me to scatter human hair in the bed.  I thought that only worked on deer, but be assured the next time I get a hair cut I'll be well armed and we will give that one a whirl.

We moved most of the big gazenias to a different bed until we do in the Menace of the Underworld because I'm not buying more, I propagate my own in a concrete lined bed.  We'd go broke trying to keep flowers otherwise.  My friend, Polly, says that is the secret of gardening, to find plants that live and actually thrive in the environment that you provide.  Well, in my yard it seems to be lavendar, Euryopsis daisies, pansies and gazenias.  We have a couple of geraniums, as well.  All of these plants will propogate by sticking a little piece in damp soil except the pansies.  The gazenia provide their own seeds that grow like mad...well, grow like what I call mad.  Being gardening disabled, I definitely do not have a yard that looks like Butchart Gardens, but it makes us happy.  

The apple tree that we took to task in the fall is really happy.  We knew it would be sink or swim and it looks like the verdict was swim!  Like all the rest of us, all it needed was a little TLC.  That's what it takes with everything, just a little tending, TLC.  Delicious!   

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