Category: tips

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LIBRARY IS THE SAFEST PLACE

We haven’t eaten in a restaurant for four months.  Took one trip to the doctor in Indy.  Have seen a few family members.  It’s a pretty dull situation when going to the grocery store is the highlight of your week.  Thanks to  the pandemic, life has become rather boring for those of us who aren’t in  panic mode.  The local library was one of the last places allowed to open, way after bars, restaurants and hair salons.  Which seems odd, because our local library appears to be the safest place in town.

While they were closed, you could still order books for curbside  delivery while you waited outside in your car.   All returned books were “quarantined” for several days before going back in circulation.  I think they’re still doing that.

When the public library  finally opened a couple of weeks ago, I barely recognized the interior.   All personnel wore masks.  Strangely enough, it  was nearly empty of patrons.  Maybe four or five  at any given time.  You have to wonder why people would feel comfortable in bars and restaurants, but not in the library, which is spacious,  modern,  and has good air circulation.

Library is the safest place. Computers are spaced far apart.
Books are quarantined, and computers are spaced far apart. Library is the safest place.

They’ve made a lot of changes.  There used to be about 25  computers for use.  People sitting close together while tapping away.  The keys were often greasy. Now, they have fewer computers which are cleaned between use.  Time is limited to one hour.  Free masks are provided, but not mandatory.

The biggest and most important changes are about the furniture.  They’ve removed all the upholstered furniture, and large tables.  Only a few stiff metal chairs and a couple of small metal tables are available. Why is this important?  Because we no longer have  people hanging out in the library. There’s no place to sit or lounge for hours on end.  If you think that’s cruel, , let me add that a local not-for profit has opened a homeless shelter.  Here, the homeless can shower, rest, and get counseling as to ways to get off the streets.  This is a much needed alternative to spending the day in the library and washing your hair in the toilet.  It’s a win win situation for everyone.

If you do take the risk of going to the library, you have another nice surprise in store.  The best seller shelves are full of brand new books.  You have lots more to pick from, even in the large print section.

Are you tired of sitting at home, playing computer games and cleaning your house?  Take a trip to the library..  It’s the safest place.

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THE RETURN OF THE BOBBY PIN

Believe it or not,  once upon a time,  young women cut their own hair.  Back in the early twentieth century,  beauty parlors were mostly  places where older women got permanents and manicures.  Rollers hadn’t been invented, nor had the curling iron come into common use.     Girls not only cut their own hair, but “put it up”  at night.   For long hair, kid curlers or rags would produce curls that bounced on your shoulders. Short hair required pin curls.   Now that most of us are afraid to go to hair salons, many are reverting  to old fashioned hair styling methods.  It’s the return of the bobby pin.

The  most important thing about curling hair with rags or bobby pins is that it be done with damp hair.  You can’t get any lasting  curls if your hair is dry.  What you do is dampen a strand  of hair slightly before making the pin curl., and let it dry overnight.  That way, the resulting  curl will last through the next day.

Now that women are doing their own hair it's the return of the bobby pin.
During the pandemic, we had to cut and curl our own hair. It’s the return of the bobby pin.

We used to wonder what we would do when we got married.  Going to bed with pin curls wouldn’t be  romantic, would it?   That was before the time when  unmarried  boys and girls spent the night together.  So, you could slather your face with cold cream, put your hair up in rags or  pin curls, and  maybe even cover your head with a hairnet so the curls would stay in.  No boyfriend would ever see that version of you.

If you look at old pictures, you can see that most women had “flat “ hair, with a middle or side part.  No one had ever heard of teasing or blow drying.  That all changed in the late fifties when short hair came in style.  A pixie cut required a trip to the beauty shop.  Often, you didn’t curl it at all. In the sixties and seventies long hair returned, and that’s when hot and cold  rollers came into use.  They were pretty uncomfortable if you were trying to sleep, but most young women managed to do it anyway.

So here we are during the pandemic of 2019-2020.  If you’re afraid to go to the beauty parlor, you  may decide to cut your own hair.  If it’s long, you’might have  to  use use those pesky rollers.  But if it’s short, pin curls are the answer. It’s the return of the bobby pin.

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BUYERS BEWARE: MELONS ARE A CRAPSHOOT

There’s nothing so rare as a sweet, juicy cantaloupe.  But when you pick up one at the supermarket, you’re making a big gamble.  That’s because at least half the time, they’re bland.  Some are so bad that they taste like squash.  Buyers beware: melons are a crapshoot .

Years ago,  I used to return  a bad cantaloupe to the place where I’d bought it. Not so much for the money, but because I thought store managers shouldn’t get away with ripping me off.  When you see a big display of melons, you assume they’ve been tasted by someone in charge.  And maybe they have.  If so, that’s even worse.  How can a produce manager look their customers in the eye while selling them a bland  cantaloupe or a watery watermelon?

It's disappointing to pay good money for a bland, tasteless melon.
It’s disappointing to pay good money for a bad melon. Buyers beware:  melons are a crap shoot .

Farmers know when they have a batch of bad melons, and they know why. It’s typically due to too much or too little rainfall. When I was a child, we had a true farmer’s market in our city.  Not the dainty little affairs that pass for a farmer’s market nowadays.  Real farmers came to town with bushels of vegetables and fruits.  That’s when people canned at home.  If a farmer wanted to sell you a watermelon,  it was expected he would offer you a “plug” to taste.  Ditto for muskmelons, now called cantaloupes.  You always knew what you were getting when you bought a melon.

Today, buying supermarket melons is a crapshoot..  You lug the thing home, wash it under running water, then hold your breath while you cut into it.  Ahhh. This one is delicious.  You’ve hit the jackpot. Unfortunately, this only happens about half the time.  How many melons have you tossed in the garbage because they’re so tasteless?  You’re tempted to complain or ask for a refund, but it’s way too much trouble.  Your costly  melon is thrown away because it’s inedible.  Is that a rip-off, or not?

All supermarkets are guilty of selling bland, tasteless melon sometimes.  I think it’s wrong.  Buyers beware: melons are a crapshoot.  And if you get a bad one, be sure to complain to the store manager.   Maybe even ask for a refund.

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BEWARE OF LOADED FREEZERS & BROKEN TOES

Is your freezer stuffed to the gunnels? I never thought it would happen when we bought a side by side freezer/refrigerator.  We are a two person household.  Up to this time, we used it at less than half capacity. But the covid-19 pandemic has drastically changed our shopping habits.  We live within city limits, with access to several supermarkets within a 2 mile radius.    Typically, I’d run into the store after participating in all the various activities that are part of normal life.  But now, I venture out once a week , masked and gloved. No, I haven’t exactly been hoarding. I ‘ve just been buying “a little bit ahead.” Which means enough frozen meat to last a month. But there’s a downside to all of this.  Beware of loaded freezers & broken toes.

Have you ever broken your toe?  If you’ve lived as long as I have, you probably have. Mine was the result of fumbling in a dark kitchen for a heavy glass tumbler.  I missed my guess, and the tumbler hit my toe like a sledge hammer. Yikes, apart from the initial pain, was the aftermath.  A broken toe is like a broken rib. You can tape them up, but they have to heal  slowly, on their own.  And they hurt like the devil when you walk.  This goes on for what seems like forever.

Warning: If a heavy package fall from the freezer onto your toe, it could break your toe.
Warning: hoarding meat can be hazardous. Beware of loaded freezers & broken toes.

Back to loaded freezers.  Modern packaging does not lend itself  well to freezer storage. If you’re into fruit smoothies, you probably have several bags of frozen fruits jumbled up on one of the shelves.  Ditto for bags of frozen fish and seafood. About the only frozen foods that are consistently stackable are Lean Cuisines.  Poultry is the worst.  Rock hard chicken breasts and drumsticks pile up in a precarious jumble.  As you dig through the mess with freezing fingers, it’s all too common for a lumpy package to slide off and onto your toes. Hopefully, you’ll just get a bruise.  But if the package is large enough, and headed in exactly the right direction, it could be a toe buster.

The media has gotten us worried about meat and poultry shortages. So far, I’ve been able to find everything I need, and then some.  Yes, you’re only able to buy two packages at a time, but that’s plenty for my husband and me.  Now, I’m just hoping to get through this pandemic without a broken toe.

Beware of loaded freezers and broken toes.

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DO YOU PLAN STAY-AT-HOME DAYS?

Do you plan your Stay-At-Home Days?  For the first three decades of my life, everything was planned for me. From the age of five through 21, I was a student. I didn’t have to make any decisions as to how I spent my time.  Go to class, study, recreation, sleep.  The pattern repeated itself every day, for years. 

After college, the routine changed, but my days followed a pattern.  Work, recreation, sleep.  Next came  marriage and children:  Filling my daytime hours wasn’t a problem:  Cook, clean, take care of children, recreation, sleep.  That all changed when my lst husband had a meltdown, and I went to work. Managing  a hospital department while raising three children under ten required a whole lot of planning.  For the next twenty some years,  I made to do lists every single day.  After retiring, I was involved in activities and responsibilities that still required plans and lists.

And then,  the coronavirus hit,  No activities to participate in, or people to see.  The doldrums set in.  I felt tired and aimless.  After a few days, it dawned on me.  This wasn’t going to end soon.  I had to make some plans.

The pandemic requires everyone to self isolate. Do you plan your Stay At home Days
The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we live our lives.

My days needed structure.  I couldn’t just lie around and wait for the pandemic to end.  Although   I couldn’t attend my tai chi classes or go swimming now, I still needed exercise.  How would I keep  my mind sharp.?  Visiting with family or friends was out.   Nor could I take any trips—not even to Indy.  What in the world would I do?

First, I would not stay in bed until noon.  We had always gotten out of bed around 8:30 to have coffee and read the paper.  That would continue.  But no lolling around in pajamas all day.   Getting dressed, fixing my hair, and a little lipstick made me feel normal, and more energetic.

Do You Plan Your Stay At Home Day? Try doing jigsaw puzzles.
Plan Your Stay At Home Days with jigsaw puzzles to help your brain.

Things to incorporate into my new life:  Reading more books, via kindle.  Spring Cleaning with a vengeance.  Not just washing some windows, but curtains, walls, cabinets.  Cleaning out closets and drawers.  Exercise.   On  rainy days, when I can’t walk outside, I  get my exercise with the dreaded spring cleaning.  You can burn a bunch of calories that way. Since restaurants are closed, it was time for me to experiment with new recipes.   I could play bridge and online. It’s not as much fun as playing with real live people, but it gives you a little entertainment.  My husband ordered some jigsaw puzzles ( Did you know they challenge your brain?.}   Weeding my garden like it’s never been weeded before.  Planting flowers.    Cleaning out my files and drawers.  Writing checks and paying bills.  Sending birthday cards.

Sample daily schedule:

8:30: Make coffee, read the newspaper (home delivery)

9:00  Do morning stretch exercises

9:15   Light breakfast.  Make bed, turn on computer, check e mail and other online favorite websites.

10:00  Start project for the day:  cleaning, gardening, writing, etc..  One day a week, go to grocery store (wearing mask, gloves, glasses).

12:00  Lunch

12:30  15 minutes of unfiltered sunshine (weather permitting)

12:35  Paperwork:  paying bills, filing, writing cards,

1:30   Put in a load of laundry or write blog.

2:00  Walk in park, weather permitting

3:00  Fold laundry or finish blog.

3: 15 Bridge online,or help husband with jig saw puzzles

4:00  Tai chi (3 short exercises)

4:15  Personal care:  Hair,  nails, etc.

5:00  Start planning dinner

6:00 Dinner

6:30 Watch news

7:00 Clean kitchen

The rest of the evening is pure relaxation:   Meditating, Netflix streaming,  favorite TV shows, or more reading.  A warm bath, then bed around 11:00.

The schedule is subject to change at any time,  to allow  for telephone calls. These are usually spontaneous, and can’t be planned.

And so, after 8 weeks of self-isolation, I’m busier than ever.   Do you plan your stay-at-home days during the Covid 19 crisis?

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Stop! You don’t need wipes to disinfect

Last night,  the manager of a plant that makes Clorox wipes  was interviewed on nightly news. He said demand has tripled. Consequently, they’re working overtime (and making big bucks). to fill up empty store shelves.   Everyone is beginning to panic.  Stop! You don’t need wipes to disinfect.

If you can't get Clorox wipes, you can make your own solution. Stop! You don't need disinfectant wipes.
Stop! You don’t need disinfectant wipes. You can make your own bleach solution during this pandemic.

You can’t even buy Clorox wipes on Amazon.  They’re out of stock.  It boggles the mind, when you know how easy it is to disinfect with plain old bleach.  I haven’t seen any store out of it.   I always have a big bottle of it in my broom closet.  It’s dirt cheap. All you have to do is pour a little bit of bleach into some water, put on some rubber gloves, take an old rag, and voila!  You have a disinfectant every bit as good as clorox wipes.  You not only saved money, but you helped the environment.

Can you believe there was a time when people didn’t use wipes to clean a baby’s bottom, wash their face, or disinfect?  In the early sixties, I used soap and water on a washcloth.  I had never heard of a baby wipe.  It wasn’t until the seventies that they became popular.  It wasn’t long before there were wipes for just about everything.  And people thought they couldn’t do without them.

What’s bad about wipes?  For starters, they’re bad for the environment. Whether baby wipes or disinfecting wipes, they pose a major problem by clogging up sewer systems.  Once they enter the sewer system, wet wipes bunch together and trap food and other waste to form wads called “fatbergs” made of fat from food waste and wipes.

Most wipes contain plastic fibers that are not biodegradable. When the wipes make their way into the ocean, they get ingested by sea creatures, such as turtles, who mistake them for jellyfish.  The plastic stays in the stomach of the animal, and eventually, they die of starvation.

Plumbers do not like wipes. Even though some wet wipes are marketed as “flushable” and “septic-safe,”  they take a longer amount of time to do so compared to toilet paper.   Consequently, clogged pipes and blockages occur more frequently.

Save money, save the environment.  First,  clean and remove dirt and grime from surfaces.  Next,  follow the directions on a bottle of bleach to make your own disinfectant solution. But be careful not to use too much.  Fumes from too strong a solution can sting your eyes and nose.

Yes, you can get through this pandemic, even if you can’t buy disinfectant wipes.

 

 

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Recycling: We called it Making Do

As children coming of age in the forties, we had never heard the word “recycling”.   For most families emerging from the great depression,  and  going into into World War II,  we called it  “making do.”

For instance, Tupperware was invented in 1946, but it wasn’t until the fifties and sixties that it became popular. Before that, we reused grocery store food containers to store leftovers:  Cottage cheese buckets,  margarine bowls—anything that could be washed and dried.    Tupperware parties were all the rage, but it was expensive.  It didn’t cost a penny to re purpose sturdy containers.    And most of us did.

 Cloth diapers were still used,  With two babies in diapers,  I spent a lot of time washing and folding them.  But I didn’t have to spend money on plastic diapers.

Cloth dishtowels are environmentally friendly, and save money.    They’re more absorbent, and feel softer.  I use paper towels only for draining fried foods–maybe one roll per year.

Yes, I’ve succumbed to paper napkins. But I have fond memories of using cloth napkins as a child.  My mother painted clothes pins with each siblings names to keep them straight.  And the napkins  were washed every week.

Computers, wireless phones,  or others electronic devices weren’t available, so there was nothing to recycle.  As a result,  our main source of  free home entertainment was television.    No one paid for Netflix, HBO, or streaming services.   If we wanted more entertainment, we went to the movies , a concert or live theater performance.

Hand me down clothes were welcomed.  If they didn’t fit, they could be altered.  As the youngest of three girls, I seldom had a “new” outfit except maybe at Easter time, when we all dressed alike.  However,  even my older sisters wore hand me downs. We had 2nd cousins all over the Midwest.  Every year, they sent boxes of their outgrown sweaters and dresses, and we were thrilled to receive them.

Flower seeds were cheap, and  started plants from nurseries were considered a luxury. Cuttings  and starts from other gardeners cost nothing.  My husband lived on a farm, and  his mother  generously shared  her wide variety of plants and flowers,   Consequently, even a poor person could have a beautiful garden, if they had the time and energy.

Darning socks.  Yes, people still did that , even in the fifties.  There was something called a “darning needle.”  My husband’s grandmother was shocked when I said I would never darn a sock.  And I never did.  I guess I was ahead of my time.

Brown paper sacks from grocery stores  could be repurposed  to wrap packages for mailing.  Or storing things in the basement or attic.  Because brown paper bags are recyclable, they don’t fill up landfills with plastic.

In the early 20th century, women repurposed feed sacks for dresses. We called it making do.
Recycling: we called it making do.when women made dresses from feed sacks.

Farm wives repurposed feed sacks to sew men’s shirts , women’s dresses, towels, and other household necessities.   If you lived in the city, you got the sacks from your country cousins or friends.  Those  pretty cotton materials were  soft to the touch,,and immensely comfortable.

It looks like the Coronavirus pandemic is going to throw us into a recession. Hopefully not a depression.  Perhaps we should take some lessons from the past,  and recycle the old fashioned way by Making Do.