Homemade laundry soap and guilt

I love the scent of line dried clothing!

I just made my own laundry soap.  I didn’t do it out of a desire to connect with my pioneer roots or because I found a pretty picture on Pinterest that made me believe my house would be perfectly clean and organized if I made my own soap.  I didn’t do it because my mother made laundry soap with lye when I was a child and I was feeling reminiscent.  I did it out of guilt.

The leaders of my Faith have long taught that we should be prepared and frugal.  In event of an emergency we will not only be able to take care of ourselves, but lend aid to those around us. We call this preparation Provident Living. Some aspects of Provident Living are easier for me to comply with than others.  It’s easy for me to grow a garden because my husband does that.  He has a Green thumb. I enjoy reaping what he sows and find great satisfaction in filling mason jars with the bounty.  Physical health is also in my skill set.  I try to exercise regularly, eat a healthy (somewhat) diet and I know a few home remedies that come in handy on weekends and holidays. That’s when everybody always gets sick. Spiritual health is another goal I am continually pursuing.

I am not so good at storing sundries.  I told a friend once that I always think things should last longer than the do – for instance, a bottle of lotion.  She made a profound observation.

“I think that is just mortality.  Things are always wearing out.”  Good point.

Anyway, back to the guilt.  In our pursuit of Provident Living, we often have workshops aimed at Emergency Preparedness and Frugality.  I have participated in the Laundry Soap Lesson on more than one occasion and I have been skeptical.  I would rather clip a coupon than purchase all the ingredients to combine to make a mess while assembling the powdered cleaner.  I ignored the lesson and the counsel to store laundry soap. Recently, however, I was given a sample of the product and informed that it costs about $.03 per load.  Three cents!  My clothes seemed to come out just as clean as they did with my high efficiency, Oxi-added, liquid soap.  Maybe it was time to bite the bullet and be obedient.

The first step is a bit aromatic and my husband complained.

“What stinks?”

“It’s part of the laundry soap I’m making.  I’m trying to be obedient,” I replied.

“It’s making me sneeze.”

I promised it wouldn’t last forever and that it was a way to save lots of money.  That seemed to suffice.

I now have approximately six months’ supply of laundry soap in a bucket. It cost me about $15. I need to make another batch to be truly prepared.  Oh … and obtain a large bucket and a hand held dasher to really get the job done!  I’ve got a small washboard I use as a decoration.  I think that will have to suffice for now.  I would hate to get carried away!

What are you doing to be frugal, be prepared, or be obedient?

Anybody need a pen?

I have previously confessed that I am a hoarder.  I admit it.  I’m not proud of it.  I am working to recover from it!  I would not consider my hoarding habit unhealthy like those who have rooms full of garbage they refuse to throw away.  Nor am I a compulsive shopper (well, maybe) in that I don’t shop every sale and purchase every two dollar T-shirt I run across with the intent to save them for a rainy day.  I just have a difficult time discarding things that may still have some use in them.  Here is a list of examples:

·         Towels and washcloths

·         Squeeze jars of ketchup, mustard, honey, lotion, dishwashing liquid, etc.

·         Running shoes

·         Writing utensils like those in the photo below.

 

 

The disturbing thing about the pens and pencils is, I don’t know where they come from and I seldom use any of them.  I like a good Sharpie once in a while, red pens come in handy for proofreading, and I have very specific preferences for the type of pen I use for handwriting checks, notes, and blog post ideas! Don’t be mistaken and think that the collection in the photo is really not that big. Those are only the pens I have in my kitchen – the ones I have placed in containers.  I have pens in drawers, nightstands, and purses.  I have pens in my lab, office and bathroom.  Pens in the car and pens in coat pockets. Occasionally I find pens in the washer and pens in the dryer.  That’s when I get really mad!

I am not sure from whence they come.  I know that I did not purchase all of them.  Perhaps I am a pen magnet.  Some arrive by way of my husband’s shirt pocket and I am grateful for those that land on the counter rather than in the laundry! Some must hitch a ride home from hotel rooms, doctor’s offices, and seminars.  Many jump into the free tote bags I pick up at race registrations.  Far be it from me to pass up a good pen, or a poor one, or even to discard one that might still contain a good drop of ink!

I’m going to do something rash today.  I am going to throw away some pens.  I will not gather them into like bundles and secure them with rubber bands as I have done in the past.  I promise to toss some without checking to see if they still write.  I am going to free myself from the pen clutter so I don’t have to think about them and store them and clean around them.  At least, that’s what I am going to do with my kitchen pen collection. I would hate to do anything too drastic!  I may need some of those other pens someday!