Vinegar Benefits + Winter Mould

There are lots of good YouTube Videos

about cleaning with Vinegar and Baking Soda.

Here is one about mould on the walls.

Mold—that icky, fuzzy stuff that likes to lurk in high and low corners just a few feet beyond your reach or so out of sight (like beside the bed or behind the wardrobe) that you fail to even notice. That’s because the fuzzy stuff loves dark, warm, humid places to live.  

It especially loves leather and anything stuffed into plastic bags (where air is not circulating).  Winter is the time mould grows best in any home.  So now is time to take action and plan a regular inspection each week to ensure mould is not growing around you. When the conditions are right, mold can grow within 24-48 hours. 

If you have not read this blog article yet:  PLEASE READ THIS.

That article has lots of good information that will help us all moderate mould problems during winter and rainy times.  But before you grab a rag or paper towel to just wipe the dusty stuff away, know that is not enough to kill it.  Here are three, non-toxic, natural household solutions for truly eliminating mold.

1. Vinegar

Chances are, you probably already have vinegar in your home. This magic elixir makes meals taste wonderful and stains disappear with equal potency. Vinegar is a mild acid which can kill 82% of mold species. (Baking soda is often used along with vinegar for killing different species of mold.)

To kill mold: Use white distilled vinegar and pour it into a spray bottle without watering it down. Spray the vinegar onto the moldy surface and leave it to sit for an hour. Finally, wipe the area clean with water and allow the surface to dry. Any smell from the vinegar should clear within a few hours, but if it lingers, you can freshen up the space with bowls of lemon water around the area.

2. Baking Soda

Baking soda is a mild, white mineral powder, that can be used to kill mold in your home, plus it is safe for your family and pets. In addition to killing mold, it will absorb moisture to help keep mold away.

To kill mold: Add one quarter of a tablespoon of baking soda to a spray bottle of water and shake until it has dissolved. Spray the moldy area with the baking soda and water solution, then use a sponge or scrub brush to remove all the mold from the surface. Next, rinse the surface with water to remove any residual mold on the surface. Finally, spray the area again and let the surface dry. (This will kill any left-over mold and prevent the mold from returning).

All of these solutions are great non-toxic alternatives to chemical-based cleaners. Not only are they safe to use and safe for the environment, all of these products are inexpensive and easy to find in your local store.  Mold is something you don’t want to ignore.

3. Hydrogen Peroxide

When you want to know how to get rid of mold, know that hydrogen peroxide is your new best friend. Hydrogen peroxide is an anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial solution that kills mold effectively on a variety of materials such as kitchen appliances, bathroom fixtures, floors and walls.

To kill mold: Pour 3% concentration hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle. Saturate the moldy surface completely and leave it to sit for ten minutes. Next, scrub the area to remove all of the mold and mold stains. And finally, wipe the surface down to remove residual mold and spores. You’ll want to take extra care if the mold is growing on delicate surfaces, as hydrogen peroxide can act as a bleach.

After you, vacuum and treat your walls, floor or wherever you find mould, be sure to let it dry well.  When you move your furniture back into place be sure there is a bit of space all around the furniture pieces so air can circulate.  

Finally, every room has a space heater to use when you are in the room.  Please do not leave it going when you are away from your room for any length of time and of course ensure there is nothing close to the heater that might ignite.

More stuff about the magic of Vinegar.

More on Microwaves

Who would have guessed that the day after I write a new blog article about cleaning the ovens and refrigerator in the house, that a new article would come out about sharing a microwave.  Take a moment to read it.


Also they address the use of plastics in microwaves here and this is an important article to take time to read as well.  

Enjoy!

Ovens and Fridge Cleaning

Using the stove oven seems intuitive enough.  You just put stuff you want to roast or bake in it, turn it on and set the heat and wait.  

If it is something particularly greasy (such as a roast) lots of fat melts off and coats the inside of the oven.  Most times this is not noticed in our rush to consume the yummy stuff we have made.  But someone eventually has to clean the left over grease coating in the oven or it begins to make other stuff cooked in the oven taste funny or not cook properly.  

EASY - NO-SCRUB METHOD

1. Pre-heat the oven to where the surface inside is warm to the touch, but not hot.
2. While it is heating up make a smooth, thin paste of baking soda and vinegar (yes it is neat to watch it fizz up) 
3. Spread the paste around the inside of the pre-warmed oven coating all the surfaces, especially the areas that are especially messy
4. Close the oven door and go do something else (maybe clean the refrigerator).
5. Let the paste sit on the walls and floor, ceiling and inside of the door until the oven is cool again.  
6. Fill a little bucket, basin or the sink with warm, clear water
7. Moisten a sponge or soft cloth and wipe it off the paste
8. Most of the mess will come off easily.    

NEVER USE A KNIFE OR A TOOL OR SCRUBBER 

THAT WILL SCRATCH THE SURFACE 

OF THE ENAMEL OF THE OVEN!

The damage done from scrubbing with a scratching implement makes it nearly impossible to clean the oven in the future, because the grease will embed and bake itself into the tiny scratches left behind.  Just repeat the eight steps above a second (and maybe even a third) time, coating the specific troublesome area(s) until the baking power and vinegar melts off the grease and grime.

I just found this SUPER ARTICLE that you can read to know the best way to keep our oven clean and it also has a video in it about how to clean the refrigerator. 

REFRIGERATOR CLEANING

Obviously, if you spill something in the refrigerator you would know to wipe it up immediately with a damp cloth.  However, over time lots of fluff and liquids and stuff that is unrecognisable begins to appear as if out of nowhere in every refrigerator.

Regularly checking for use by dates or when smells grow beyond "something died in the fridge!" can be the first sign it's time to actually pull everything out and wash all the shelves, walls and ceiling of the inside surfaces of the fridge.  

Recommended not to do this on the hottest day of the year, and if it is important that you do clean the fridge on a hot day, bring in the old Eskie and put the most perishable items in it while you focus on your task. 

Once the food is all out, take time to check the shelves in the door(s) and the veggie crisper drawer at the bottom.  Remove each of these carefully and set them aside on the counter for a bit.

Here is where baking soda comes into play again.  Dissolve about a half cup of baking soda in a liter of warm water.  I use an old plastic ice cream bucket.  And wipe everything down with a soft cloth soaked in this mixture.  (I wear rubber gloves any time I am working in water, so you might want to consider this.)

DO NOT USE SOAP OR OTHER TYPES 

OF CLEANERS INSIDE THE REFRIGERATOR.  

There is only one product I've found that is specifically made for cleaning inside the refrigerator that is safe on all surfaces.  It is called "Vanilla Fridge Spray" that not only cleans gently, but also leaves behind the pleasant scent of vanilla (which also helps mask some unpleasant stale odors in a fridge).   You can also MAKE YOUR OWN, if you like to clean out your fridge and freezer with super-smelling results.  

But I find baking soda is more than sufficient and if you leave a box of it open in the fridge and freezer it will absorb the stale orders before they embed themselves in the walls of your fridge. 

If you find some stubborn stains in the fridge, just put some of the baking soda paste on it, close the door and leave it soak a bit.  

Then clean each of the shelves and the door shelves and the crisper drawer and let them air dry.  

NOTE:  Air drying dishes, etc., 

minimises the transferance of bacteria 

from a dish towel onto a dish.  

So whenever possible let stuff air dry rather than wiping it with a dish towel.  If you are in a hurry and must dry something, use paper towels, as they are fresh and will not be hiding any bacteria.   

(Will get to cleaning the freezer another time.)

MICROWAVE OVEN CLEANING

First, when you use a microwave oven, we all know not to put metal implements or aluminum foil inside the oven, I hope.  If you do there will be heaps of sparks and serious-sounding popping noises, and the build up of heat can actually explode the microwave.  

If this happens the microwave is no longer safe and will need to be replaced.  Since I've already replaced the microwave five times in the last eight years, it will be your responsibility if you forget.

Please, do not put something inside the microwave to warm up that will spatter (such as meat or sauce or soup) without covering it with either a paper towel (highly recommended) or some cling wrap (Although I caution you not to use cling wrap as some studies have indicated this can produce cancer-causing particles to invade or coat your food.)  

Unless a dish or plastic container is specifically marked microwave safe, it is best to search out another container, as other containers might explode or give off fumes that coat your food with highly unrecommended film.  Hence, using papertowels is best.  

If, for all your best efforts, something spatters onto the walls or other surfaces inside the microwave, please take a moment to clean it up immediately.  If you do not, these splatters cake on and become more difficult to clean off and sometimes even stain the inside of the surface.  

Cleaning the inside of the microwave is just like cleaning the inside of the refrigerator or freezer. 

1. Prepare baking soda dissolved in water or the Vanilla Fridge Spray.  
2. Unplug the microwave.
3. Take out the glass plate and spinning wheel inside
4. Wash these in soapy water 
5. Let them dry in the dish drain while you finish the task
6. Please be careful of the glass plate.  It is heavy and breaks like crystal (many small pieces scatter all over the place if you drop it).  

IF YOU DROP AND BREAK THE GLASS PLATE 

INSIDE THE MICROWAVE

 - THE MICROWAVE CANNOT BE USED 

UNTIL A NEW ONE IS PURCHASED TO REPLACE IT.

7. Then wipe clean all the surfaces of the inside of the microwave.  
8. Do not use any scratching implement - EVER
9. Do not remove or get the little cardboard panel you may notice on the one side of the microwave.  
10. Once every surface is clean, leave the door open for a bit so it dries out thoroughly
11. Place the dry spinning wheel inside and ensure the plate is properly seated inside so it will spin automatically.
12. Plug the microwave back in.

Be sure to test the spinning plate inside by putting a small cup of water inside and off to the side a bit.  Close the door and step back to ensure that it spins around smoothly.  If so, take the cup out and you are done.  If it does not spin properly, take the cup out and fiddle with the glass plate to ensure it is seated properly on the spinning wheel.  Test it again to be sure it is right.

NEVER EVER WATCH YOUR FOOD INSIDE 

THE MICROWAVE WHILE IT IS COOKING!

Studies have shown this is a possible contributor to glaucoma.  This eye condition affects your sight by beginning to block out the middle view of your eyes and leaving you only able to see out of the sides of your eyes (peripheral vision).  It is progressive and cannot be reversed once it begins.

Of Bits and Bobs, Bacteria and Bugs

The weather will do it to us all...make us forget things, cause us to feel like we are moving through jelly.  Some of us lose our appetite or drink more.  When the weather and the time change the environment seems to work together

Soon it will be far too hot to leave the blinds and windows open; for now it will be good to reread this blog article:

WINTER CHALLENGES

Whether it is a pair of socks you've thrown under your bed or a favourite pair of shoes, now is the time to keep things off the floor and things from leaning against walls.  If you notice paint peeling from the wall (such as near the stairway) or discolouration of a wall (usually the lower part) please let me know.

Now I want to begin by praising and thanking everyone for keeping the dishes washed up.  You have no idea how thoughtful this is.  I do not remember the last time I came downstairs to make my breakfast to find dishes all over the place.  So perhaps I can push the envelope a bit more, because I am still having to do a lot of follow-up behind you guys that you likely don't even notice.   These are easy things and small actions.

Sponges and Dish Cloths

One thing I have noticed is sponges and dishcloths being left soaking wet in or on the sink.  The one on the handle is typically left with the head down in the little basket on the small side sink.  Recently someone thoughtfully put some dish washing soap in this wonderful tool we all use, which was great. 

However, it needs to stay upright so the soap doesn't just seep out through the sponge and down the drain.  This sponge and the other sponge that is used needs to be able to dry out.  So many times the sponges smell so bad that they just have to be thrown out when they are still quite new. 

So the sponge on the handle must be upright, so it can dry out and conserve dish washing liquid and that the other sponge is washed out well, squeezed well so as much moisture as is practical to get out of it is squeezed out.

Why is this, you ask?  Sponges and dish cloths can become easy breeding places for bacteria (that's what makes them smell) when:

·        they are not well washed out (leftover food bits are food for bacteria to grow on)

·        they are left soggy in the sink

·        for dishcloths - when they are bunched up and left soggy on the side of the sink

·        even when they are soaked with soap, bacterial will begin to grow in the sponge (and the dishcloth)

NOTE:  (A dish cloth is typically more free from bacterial growth, because bacteria must have moisture to grow and the cloth dries out faster than a sponge if we remember to drape it over the just washed dishes, for instance)

Some information on sponges to watch:

She is a bit wacky, but her message is helpful.

This is why I prop the sponge up in the window each day and set the one on the handle up in the little indentation in the basket in the sink.  It really will help when the sun hits it and helps dry it out.

The sponge itself needs to be cared for.  The scraping side is made of plastic and if you have a hot pan you want to rush and wash, please resist this temptation because it melts the scraping material and is why the sponge head has to be so often replaced.  It also lets the sponge hold more food bits. 

Bend and Snap

As the oldest person in the house, I am growing prideful that I am also the one person who seems consistently able to bend down and pick things up off the floor.  Yes, I should not share this as I am the one who benefits, but actually it would be better if you tried this exercise too.

So next time you are in the kitchen and drop something on the floor, please bend down and take a moment to pick it up.  If it is something messy, there are paper towels nearby and spray cleaner or Windex (which is a good all-round cleaner) to clean it up with. 

If you just pick up the item dropped, it may leave grease or other yuk on the floor that someone (probably me) could slip on or worst of all that a cockroach could identify as dinner!

Critter Alert

While it is raining so hard it is an ideal time for little critters (and some that look big because they are so gross) such as cockroaches and spiders, perhaps even a mouse (although they would be wise to go next door with sweet Mandarin the cat to contend with now) to seek shelter inside, especially if meals are so easily sourced. 

This means some attention is appreciated on the bench tops, too and the stove after you are finished cooking (today I had to take the stove apart because so much food was spilled into one of the elements that it would barely light. 

If you would like me to show you how to clean the stove properly, please ask me...I love teaching new processes!

Again, the spray cleaner or Windex is a great way to finish up in the stove and back splash. 

Table Too

Oh and take a moment to wipe down the table cloth where you ate as leaving crumbs or just brushing them off onto the floor is again...an advertisement to critters to come and get it!

All in all these are observations and not criticisms.  It has been so much worse in the past and each of you are a joy to have here.  Whenever possible I will take care of these little items because I know you have time pressures and need a break.  However, when I have a project, I get tired too.

Thanks again!

14 Ways To Save Money This Winter

In a shared house, there are many challenges.  In the winter we may enjoy hot chocolates, lamb roasts and cosy nights at home.  Unfortunately, it’s also the time of the year when power bills surge to their highest as we all battle to keep warm.  Here are 14 practical tips and tricks we can use to help minimise these extra costs:  

1. Heating – Almost 40% of household energy use relates to heating during winter. Buy the most efficient heater you can afford and only heat the rooms you are in when you are in them. Keep the thermostat at 18-20C. Be careful you don’t overheat your room. Every degree above that you program your heater adds about 10 % to the heating costs.

2. Program your heater – Use your heater economically. Set it to switch on 20 minutes before you wake up then turn it off 20 minutes before you leave the house or go to bed. Use an electric blanket to warm your bed and then turn it off before you go to sleep.  (Sleeping with an electric blanket can sap your energy, by the way.)

3. Size matters – Think about the size of the appliances for areas of the home you want to heat up. Small energy-efficient heaters are sufficient for bathrooms to save warming up the whole house instead.

4. Cut down your showers - Hot water accounts for around a third of the average household’s energy use. Resist the temptation for longer showers this winter. The average shower is eight minutes…consider cutting that in half. All our showers have been fitted with water-efficient shower heads.  This cuts the amount of water flowing from the shower head to as little as 7 litres per minute compared to an unrated shower head which can use up to 25 litres of water per minute – a 72% reduction on hot water usage.

5. Cuppa Time - Don’t make your kettle work harder than it needs to – If you are making a cup of tea or boiling water for a hot water bottle, make sure you only put as much water as you need in the kettle each time you boil it, rather than filling it all the way up to the top. It costs more to boil a full kettle than to run a ceiling fan for an hour.

6. Heater Switch - Don’t forget the ‘off’ button - Remember to turn your heating off before you leave the house in the morning.

7. Use the oven! - Leave the oven open after you bake – let the warm air circulate around the room!

8. Put your ceiling fan into winter mode – Many ceiling fans have a switch (above the blades) which will allow you to change between summer and winter mode. If you put the fan into winter mode, it will reverse the movement of the blades and force the warm air that is trapped at the ceiling, down into the room to cycle with the cool air. This will warm up your room in winter. For the best effect, keep your fan on low speed.

9. Don’t block the sunshine – If you have pot plants on your window sill, now is the time to move them elsewhere. Maximise the sunlight coming into your home and remove any blockages that may be in the way.

10. Use your curtains - Let in the sun during the day (particularly on north-facing windows) and close them at night to seal any draughts around windows or doors.

11. Let it vent! – Make sure any heating vents are kept clear and that any rugs or furniture that are in the way are moved, to ensure heat is circulated around the room as efficiently as possible.

12. Get dusting – Make sure you regularly dust or vacuum your radiators and vents to stop dust from accumulating. Dust can keep the heat from getting into the rooms where you need it.

13. Seal up any holes in walls or foundations - Any cracks or holes will allow precious heat to escape. Use weather stripper for doors and windows and gap filler for cracks in the wall.  Let me know if you feel a draft somewhere and we can get it fixed.

14. Smarter laundry - Wash clothes in cold water and wash only full loads. Hot water will inflate your bill further and doesn’t contribute any significant benefits versus cold water washes.

Enjoy the Pool !

The History of billiards is long and very rich.  The game’s been played by kings and commoners, presidents, mental patients, ladies, gentlemen and hustlers alike.  It evolved from a lawn game similar to the croquet played some-time during the 15th century in Northern Europe and probably in France.  

Play moved indoors to a wooden table with green cloth to simulate grass, and a simple border was placed around the edges. The balls were shoved, rather than struck, with wooden sticks called "maces." The term "billiard" is derived from French, either from the word "billart", one of the wooden sticks, or "bille", a ball.

Most of our information about early billiards comes from accounts of playing by royalty and other nobles. It has been know as the "Noble Game of Billiards" since the early 1800’s but there is evidence that people from all walks of life played the game since its inception. In 1600, the game was familiar enough to the public that Shakespeare mentioned it in Antony and Cleopatra. Seventy-five years later, the first book of billiards rules remarked of England that there were few "few Tones of note therein which hath not a publick Billiard-Table."

The Equipment

The cue stick was developed in the late 1600’s. When the ball lay near a rail, the mace was very inconvenient to use because of its large head. In such a case, the players would turn the mace around and use its handle to strike the ball. The handle was called a "queue" meaning "tail" from which we get the word "cue." For a long time only men were allowed to use the cue; women were forced to use the mace because it was felt they were more likely to rip the cloth with the shaper cue.

Tables originally had flat walls for rails and their only function was to keep the balls from falling off. They resembled river banks and even used to be called "banks". Players discovered that balls could bounce off the rails and began deliberately aiming at them. Thus a "bank shot" is one in which a ball is made to rebound from a cushion as part of the shot.

Billiard equipment improved rapidly in England after 1800, largely because of the Industrial Revolution. Chalk was used to increase friction between the ball and the cue stick even before cues had tips. The leather cue tip, with which a player can apply side-spin to the ball, was perfected by 1823. Visitors from England showed Americans how use spin, which explains why it is called "English" in the United States but nowhere else. (The British themselves refer to it as "side".)

The two-piece cue arrived in 1829. Slate became popular as a material for table beds around 1835. Goodyear discovered vulcanization of rubber in 1839 and by 1845 it was used to make billiard cushions. A two-to-one ratio of length to width became standard in the 18th century. Before then, there were no fixed table dimensions. By 1850, the billiard table had essentially evolved into its current form.

English Billards

The dominant billiard game in Britain from about 1770 until the 1920’s was English Billiards, played with three balls and six pockets on a large rectangular table. The British billiard tradition is carried on today primarily through the game of snooker, a complex and colorful game combining offensive and defensive aspects and played on the same equipment as English Billiards but with 22 balls instead of three. The British appetite for snooker is approached only by the American passion for baseball; it is possible to see a snooker competition every day in Britain.

The dominant American billiard game until the 1870’s was American Four-Ball Billiards, usually played on a large (11 or 12-foot), four-pocket table with four balls - two white and two red. It was a direct extension English Billiards. Points were scored by pocketing balls, scratching the cue ball, or by making caroms on two or three balls.

A "carom" is the act of hitting two object balls with the cue ball in one stroke. With many balls, there were many different ways of scoring and it was possible to make up to 13 pints on a single shot. American Four-Ball produced two offspring, both of which surpassed it in popularity by the 1870’s. One, simple caroms played with three balls on a pocketless table, is something known as "Straight rail", the forerunner of all carom games. The other popular game was American Fifteen-Ball Pool, the predecessor of modern pocket billiards.

What Does Pool Mean?

The word "pool" means a collective bet, or ante. Many non-billiard games, such as poker, involve a pool but it was to pocket billiards that the name became attached. The term "poolroom" now means a place where pool is played, but in the 19th century a poolroom was a betting parlor for horse racing. Pool tables were installed so patrons could pass time between races. The two became connected in the public mind, but the unsavory connotation of "poolroom" came from the betting that took place there, not from billiards.

Fifteen-Ball Pool was played with 15 object balls, numbered 1 through 15. For sinking a ball, the player received a number of points equal to the value of the ball. The sum of the ball values in a rack is 120, so the first player who received more than half the total, or 61, was the winner.

This game, also called "61-Pool" was used in the first American championship pool tournament held in 1878 and won by Cyrille Dion, a Canadian. In 1888, it was thought more fair to count the number of balls pocketed by a player and not their numerical value. Thus, Continuous Pool replaced Fifteen-Ball Pool as the championship game. The player who sank the last ball of a rack would break the next rack and his point total would be kept "continuously" from one rack to the next.

Eight-Ball was invented shortly after 1900; Straight Pool followed in 1910. Nine-Ball seems to have developed around 1920.

While the term "billiards" refers to all games played on a billiard table, with or without pockets, some people take billiards to mean carom games only and use pool for pocket games. Through the 1930’s, both pool and billiards, particularly three-cushion billiards, shared the spotlight.

From 1878 until 1956, pool and billiard championship tournaments were held almost annually, with one-on-one challenge matches filling the remaining months. At times, including during the Civil War, billiard results received wider coverage than war news. Players were so renowned that cigarette cards were issued featuring them.

Pool went to war several times as a popular recreation for the troops. Professional players toured military posts giving exhibitions; some even worked in the defense Industry. But the game had more trouble emerging from World War II than it had getting into it. Returning soldiers were in a mood to buy houses and build careers, and the charm of an afternoon spent at the pool table was a thing of the past. Room after room closed quietly and by the end of the 1950’s it looked as though the game might pass into oblivion.

The Hustler

Billiards was revived by two electrifying events, one in 1961, the other in 1986. The first was the release of the movie, "The Hustler". The black-and-white film depicted the dark life of a pool hustler with Paul Newman in the title role. New rooms opened all over the country and for the remainder of the 60’s pool flourished until social concerns, the Vietnam War, and a desire for outdoor coeducational activities led to a decline in billiard interest.

In 1986, "The Color of Money", the sequel to "The Hustler" with Paul Newman in the same role and Tom Cruise as an up-and-coming professional, brought the excitement of pool to a new generation. The result was the opening of "upscale" rooms catering to people whose senses would have been offended by the old rooms if they had ever seen them. This trend began slowly in 1987 and has since surged.

In the 1920’s, the poolroom was an environment in which men gathered to loiter, smoke, fight, bet, and play. The rooms of today bear no resemblance to those of the earlier times. Until very recently, billiards was completely dominated by men. The atmosphere of the poolroom was very forbidding and women had trouble being accepted there. Nonetheless, women have been enthusiastic players since the game was brought up from the ground in the 15th century.

For over 200 hundred years, women of fashion have played the game. In the past, it was very difficult for a woman to develop billiard skills because male players, her family, and friends usually did not support her efforts and it was not easy to find experienced female instructors or coaches. As these situations have changed, and continue to change, we can expect women to equal men in ability and take the game to new heights.

Challenges of Sharing

Perhaps it is the weather!  Yesterday, I discovered the washing machine was broken.  But today was especially interesting.  I made a call to a friend who I have been waiting to see since the holidays and afterward went down stairs to organise their gifts.  And what do you think I found?  Someone had opened the big box of chocolates that was a gift for them.  

At first I thought I was seeing things.  Then I took off the cover and saw that the seal of the inside wrapping was still there.  I thought how strange that I had thought there was cellophane around the box. 

I replaced the cover again and then thought, “Wait a minute,”...and went back to check and yes, many of the chocolates that were individually sealed into plastic were pressed out and enjoyed.  I can’t believe anyone would do that! 

I looked around the table to see if somehow I had left an “eat me” sign on the box of chocolates.  No, no sign anywhere....just eaten chocolates.  No one asked.  No one even said thank you for the chocolates.  They are just gone!  They were a gift to me and were saved to be given to this family with children.

Washing Machine

Last night Adam called me after he saw the broken washing machine asking what had happened.  I told him I did not have a clue..I had discovered it early in the day and was really surprised and disappointed, not so much for the fact that it was broken and would need to now be repaired or replaced, but that someone would break something and not take responsibility for it.

As I struggled to fall asleep last night I thought of all the things that have been broken or destroyed or used without so much as a “would you mind if I borrowed something” question (and with nothing being replaced...just quietly swept under the carpet hoping I would never say anything or even discover these things).   Yentl and Jacqueline recently took initiative to see some things needed replacing and bought a few items for the house which was very thoughtful. 

Privacy, Pride, Peace and Possessions

Since I opened my home I have sacrificed my privacy, peace, my pride and many possessions in the spirit of trying to be kind and supportive to those who live here.  When Hunter left, the damages he left were significant, including the loss of irreplaceable personal items caught in the “jelly-wrestling flood” and having to have his room completely re-plastered and painted (thank you Adam for the cost-effective tradesman to accomplish this). 

Additionally, I have had to replace:

·         The vacuum cleaner twice

·         Three lovely ceramic lamps I liked and had for 20 years with not so much as a scratch on them

·         The toaster twice

·         The microwave

·         Many drinking, wine and Champagne glasses (Recently I was surprised to pull my hand from the plastic bag bin (that I was clearing out to take to the rubbish bin) with a huge cut from a broken and hidden Champagne glass.  I purchased a set of ten Champaigne and ten wine glasses about a year ago and see fewer than half of each are left -- even the new glasses provided by Jacqueline and Yentl I’m finding broken and hidden in the rubbish bins)

·         Linens – pillows, sheets, doonas and towels (Recently, I found a newly purchased cream Sheridan sheet that looked like it had been used to wipe up some spill and then hidden away.  It was thrown out before I could ask about it)

·         Cutlery - when I bought the new glasses I also bought new cutlery (The can opener survives but is broken so badly I am surprised anyone can still use it)

People have used many things with freedom.  Yet this freedom does not seem to be recognised, let alone appreciated.  I hate the idea of nagging...even asking is difficult for me.  I anticipated sharing a home would mean sharing responsibilities without rosters or "to do" lists and inspecting duties. 

I even wrote a blog to help anyone who was not certain of good ways to wash dishes and do the laundry without wasting electricity (the most costly of our utilities), gas (for heating up the water), water and cleaning products.

Free?

This was never meant to be a hostel.  A hostel would not freely provide the extra household items that are used by all, yet are additional expenses I have inherited, including:

·         Paper towels (which are used so freely we easily go through a roll or more in a week)

·         Toilet paper (anytime someone stays upstairs especially.  Until recently, I put rolls of paper in the downstairs bathrooms when needed, especially in the back bathroom, as it is also used by guests or workmen).

·         Dish soap (using more soap is not the key to washing dishes.  We average using half a litre a week (even watered down this is amazingly excessive.  Yet, the dishes are not always clean and I re-wash them rather than put dirty dishes in the cupboards and drawers!  The secret to washing the dishes to be clean and safe resides in other articles of this blog).

·         Dish cloths – Handi wipes (are thrown out rather than rinsed out – perhaps it seems easier, especially when we run out of paper towels)

·         Sponges and scrubbers (you know they last longer if you do not run the sharp blade of knives into the sponge or use them on hot items)

·         Laundry power (we seem to have many non-residents who treat this like a local Laundromat, with little thought of the wear and tear on the appliances, the extra water, electricity, laundry products and gas this takes)

·         Laundry additives and softners

·         Garbage bags (Appear to be used for many things other than just garbage.  They are often thrown out with almost nothing in them.  I know this because I am the one who consistently re-sorts the bins.  The recycle big is regularly filled with garbage and plastic bags that have to be pulled out and thrown into the garbage bin (this is one of my most unfavourite projects.  Many things are just tossed into the garbage bin without being in tied plastic bags.)

·         Hand soap             Teabags

·         Mayonnaise           Ketchup

·         Mustard                 Tuna fish

·         Sugar                     Batteries

·         Cooking oil            Light bulbs (thank you Brett for some of these)

·         Salad dressing        Various Spices

·         Flour                    

Any Suggestions?

Anyway, you may not have had time to read all this as everyone is so busy...funny, so am I.  Do not get me wrong...I do not mind sharing anything...just sometimes a bit of thoughtfulness for these efforts would be appreciated and replacing what you damage or at least admitting you are responsible would also be appreciated.  Sharing is about caring and ensuring the load is carried by all. 

Maybe this is sort of a “half-way house” between being a youth and being an adult.  I do not know.  Yet, I am growing discouraged by these ongoing challenges and wonder if anyone has suggestions as to how we could become a bit more considerate of each other and the "generosity of the house".  Please put your suggestions in the comments section of this blog or send me an email.  I’m feeling a bit tired right now.