192 Cleaning peeves

Cleaning Peeves

I have had a few blog postings about pet peeves--such things as earwigs and tissues in the dryer. Cleaning tops my list of irritants that creep into the petty pace of life and greatly annoy me.

As soon as I finish cleaning, the sun shines a certain way and I can see dust on the furniture, litter on the floor, and streaks on the mirrors and windows. Time to put the shade down!

Now I am engaging in annual cleaning--a thorough top-to-bottom job. Yuck!

It reminds me of all the tasks I hate.

• Chasing Dust Bunnies. I thought they were so named because they resemble bunnies. But NO! The Secret is Out! They reproduce like rabbits! While you sleep, they are having orgies under the bed!

• Dust Rattan Furniture. Why did I buy this stuff? I can never tell if it is completely cleaned. 

• Cleaning Ceiling Fans. I don't like working from a ladder. So I especially hate the fans up on the vaulted ceiling. Two minutes--sure!

• Cleaning behind the toilet.

I regularly clean toilets but avoid the contortions needed to reach behind them. Then, Ugh!

• Cleaning shower doors. I wipe down my shower and its door after each use so cleaning it is a breeze. Hubbie, however, cannot be convinced to do the same for his shower or to worry about how it looks.

What works on soap scum? I've tried it all with so-so results.

Tootsie, my Jack Russell, also seems to hate cleaning! She begs me to sit down in "our chair" so she can climb on my lap and stop stressing out. Maybe I'll grab my book and help poor little Tootsie!

Not Cleaning-Savvy Trish

191 Computerless!

WHAT I MISSED WITH NO COMPUTER

FOR THREE WEEKS!

Hello, my friends. I am nearly back to being with my beloved HP built-for-me computer. I think I know why the motherboard is called the “mother” board. 

Without it, you have a great loss in your life. Indeed, it was like losing a family member. Yes, like losing your Mother. Who do I fuss with, exchange stories with, laugh at and with – like a Mother? Just look at all a motherboard does; look at all its parts; look how necessary it is! I am sorry you died, old motherboard.

I now have a new motherboard installed, but in the transfer of one motherboard to another, the built-in audio shorted out. We are now looking at external speakers. [Parenthetically, I suggested that we have a new custom computer built. “Honestly,” said our tech guru, “you don’t need to spend that money.” I wonder? I do wonder?]

Angst! How am I going to stream my favorite shows without sound? Awaiting speakers with longing and trepidation! I hope to heck I can hook them up without a service call from my tech friends (just $85/hr). Thank goodness, Mrs. Maisel is not into season 3 yet. Detective Bosch will just have to wait, but he’s been around for a LONG time. Last night I felt obligated to reality TV – the Bachelor, America’s Got Talent Champions, and reruns of RuPaul season 1. At least, since I worked yesterday and dear husband didn’t, dinner was good!

Now that I have a computer with no sound, I had to have my dear friend Google tell me what I had missed. You may remember I do like “listicles.” Just for fun, the following are the top Google searches for the past three weeks (with my random snarky commentary):

5 Most Searched Words on Google--According to Google

• FACEBOOK (over 2 million and “they” say it’s in trouble)

• YOUTUBE (1 million+ and it wants me to subscribe now! What’s with that??)

• GOOGLE (Bless its heart! Over 900k)

• GMAIL (must be #1 email -500k+)

• AMAZON (Surprise! Surprise!)

5 Most Searched Questions on Google

• WHAT IS MY IP

A unique string of numbers separated by periods that identifies each computer using the Internet Protocol to communicate over a network (Thanks, Google, for the definition)

• HOW DO I REGISTER TO VOTE? (PLEASE DO!)

• HOW DO I TIE A BOW TIE (is it wedding season??)

• HOW MANY OUNCES IN A CUP? (if you have a measuring up, it will tell you OR learn “a pint’s a pound the world around” and do a little arithmetic)

• WHAT’S GOING ON WITH VIRGINIA POLITICS? (What a Great Question!!)
• 
  

5 Most Popular Candies Purchased--According to Google

• M&Ms (over 417 mil--did not say what size bag )

• REESES

• SNICKERS (15 mil/day)

• KITKAT/TWIX (a tie)

• HERSHEY (and we wonder why America is obese!!?)

p.s. I miss NECCO wafers!! (became popular in WWII for GIs as prepackaged rolls were easy to put in overseas gift boxes)

Top Snacks--According to Google

• POTATO CHIPS

• OREOS

• POPCORN

• COOKIES

• DORITOS (I hate to choose just one type)

And, finally, according to GOOGLE from Beverage Digest, Feb. 2019: in the cola wars, COKE products have a 17.8% share of the market while Pepsi has an 8.4% share. (Makes sense to me!)

OKAY, that’s all, folks. Waiting for tech support to get some sound on this computer.

Stay warm, Glenne

190 February's bright spot

A bright spot

In the dreariest of months, a bright spot emerges as the celebration of St. Valentine’s Day takes front and center stage. 

Hearts and flowers and the colors of red and pink are prevalent throughout all forms of advertising as well as in the retail establishments.

If this minor holiday were celebrated any other time of the year, it probably would be a bust, but coming in the middle of winter, it is a beacon in the dark of cold days, long nights, and tons of political discourse.

It doesn’t matter the marital situation, dating stance, or any other love arrangements, it is easy to find someone to honor and celebrate--sister, brother, cousin, neighbor, co-worker, or anyone else in your life. Everyone loves a little Valentine cheer.

Finding the appropriate gift is as easy as walking in a store. Candy, stuffed pillows or any type of animal, real or fake flowers, and cards of all types assault your sense of sight and draw you closer to the edges of the shelves. It is often difficult to make a decision as the choices are numerous.

My advice is to start early and try to make reasonable choices. Costs can be held to a minimum as discount stores offer great values. Who doesn’t love a bit of chocolate on a dreary winter day! 

Whatever your shopping pleasure, make sure to include as many people as you can afford. It will make you feel great and the other person happy.

While the history of the day is full of uncertainties, it doesn’t matter. The important thing is that it has endured. It is celebrated in many other countries and is a popular day for marriages.

Most of us will never forget exchanging those desirable cards with classmates in our early school days. Elaborate decorations for a cardboard box or heart-shaped envelope were meticulously crafted until each school child had one and was pleased with the outcome. The arrival of the cards was eagerly anticipated as the special day was celebrated with treats of candy, chocolate, and other sweet treats.

One statistic reports that 70 percent of Americans will give chocolate or candy to special people on Feb. 14. 

But the small conversation hearts we all remember so well will be absent this year as the company is having difficulties. Possibly they will be back next year, but there are some look-alikes on the market if you really want the hearts with a message.

There are plenty of options at local malls, downtown stores, and national chains. Whatever your preferences, there is something out there for you and others you want to remember. Just don’t wait until the last minute!!

               Valentine-Savvy Frances

189 Thrift store volunteer

Confessions of a Thrift Store Volunteer

I have been volunteering once a week for about two months at a thrift shop. It is one that I had frequently visited so I knew I liked the attitudes of the staff and volunteers. Plus they have good stuff!

I have helped at the Winchester Rotary Club Rummage Sale for a number of years so I felt I had an appreciation for the amount of stuff we Americans buy and then discard. Wrong!

Usually, the floor is also
piled high with bags.

On my first day, I was assigned to work with an experienced volunteer, emptying big black garbage bags--a huge stack of them--and sorting out the clothes to keep from the clothes that go into "Done Bags," which go to a clothing recycler. I was amazed at the tremendous amount of clothing to be sorted. The pile never went down--most days it seems to grow even though there could be as many 

as five or six people working at it.

Sisyphus Sorting Clothes

Equally astonishing is the high percentage of clothes that go into the Done Bags. Clothing that is dirty, stained (some very nasty), ripped, tired, badly wrinkled, missing buttons, etc., immediately goes into a Done Bag. I would guess 75% to 95% goes into the Done Bags.

Of course, there are exceptions, such as a clothing retailer cleaning out excess inventory. One day a woman brought in her late husband's entire wardrobe--just out of the washer and dryer and on hangers. 

That story we knew, but other bunches of clothes often lead you to make up stories about the donors. Was it a woman who went from a size 12, to a 14, and then to a 16; or were there multiple family members all with the same taste in clothing? We are always guessing why a single item comes in with the tags still intact. A gift not liked or it didn't fit or match? One of my favorite volunteers, who works five to six days a week at unpacking those endless plastic bags of clothes, often exclaims, "Can you believe someone paid $78 (or some other amount) for THIS?"

I have lost my taste for buying retail. However, my purchases at thrift stores have significantly declined as well. I see so much stuff come in that I have become very picky.

Most of the volunteers also seem that way, but the woman who was my initial trainer takes out bags of stuff each time she works. She may be on her way to being a hoarder!

I also take things out to display in the shop and have helped some people I fear are hoarders. All the bargains--with some marked 50% or 75% off--seem irresistible to some folks, regardless of the utility or quality.

Bins of hats, underwear, belts,
etc., waiting to go out.

Of course, there are also hard-working paid staff members, but the spirit of the volunteers is inspiring. Just like other organizations, there is a least one crotchety volunteer who can be disagreeable. I was told to ignore her. 

But most of the volunteers put in many more hours than I do. They do a lot of kidding but also generously pass out compliments on each other's work. 

        Trish