I’M JUST CURIOUS: Fun with words

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by Debbie Walker

I saw a small article about words that are fun to say, according to the writers in the January issue of “First.” On the list are words like indubitably, kumquat, brouhaha, flabbergasted, discombobulated, and flummoxed. I did not think some of them would be in the dictionary. Guess again! I looked them up and found out there was nothing new about these words.

Foofaraw: a disturbance or to-do over a trifle. First use known 1934.

Ballyhoo: noisy, flamboyant, exaggerated. First use known 1901.

Hurly burly: very active or confused state. First used 1539.

Williwaw: Sudden, violent gust of cold land air. First use 1842.

Indubitably: Certainly true, not to be doubted. First use 15th century.

Brouhaha: great excitement or concern. First use: original, French, 1890.

Flabbergasted: shock or surprise some one very much. 1772.

Discombobulated: upset, confuse. First use 1916.

Kerfuffle: disturbance, fuss. Scottish Gaelic 1946.

Hubbub: noise, uproar, confusion, turmoil. Irish 1555.

Flummoxed: confused. 1837.

Skedaddle: to leave a place very quickly, flee in a panic. British 1860.

Whatchamacallit: something whose name you have forgotten. 1928.

(My Aunt used to call things she had forgotten the names of ‘jigger’.)

Thingamabobs: thingamajig, whatchamacallit, whatsit, doohickey. 1750.

Mooncalf: Foolish or absentminded, 1614.

Lollapalooza: Extraordinary, impressive, outstanding. 1896.

Ripsnorter: something extra ordinary. 1840.

Sockdolager: something that settles a matter, a decisive blow. 1830.

Okay, as I said, I was so surprised that all these words were really in the dictionary. That got me curious as to how they choose the new words to add every year. I looked that up. You are encouraged to get a lot of people to use your new word.

The more often it is used the more likely it will be noticed by the dictionary editors and the rest is up to them.

Wandering Nana Dee uses the word ‘smartassery’, has for years. She says it is the adult version of smarty pants, and wise guy. Probably started using it about 1940s. Feel free to use it to help us get it added to the dictionary!

I have a few words left and I would like to use them to talk about our teachers in this time of medical emergency everywhere.

Teaching on a good day is difficult, but these days is a whole new experience. None of this group has any kind of experience with this process.

A regular day is difficult enough to teach a roomful of children but at least they can be taught by skill level in small groups. Now with trying to get everyone on computer or having to deliver actual paperwork, you can imagine the overload on all involved.

Tonight I was part of a conversation about attitude being a big part of preventing illness and aiding in healing. There are tests to prove that attitude goes a long way in health. Positive attitude helps with building your immune system.

These are uncharted days and weeks ahead of all, our patience will be tried more than once I am sure. Try to put yourself in the other person’s place. Pass on positive thoughts, pass on helpfulness.

I’m just curious what word your family may have made up! Contact me at DebbieWalker@townline.org. Have a wonderful week. Thanks again for reading!

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Ignite immunity, clean naturally with lemons

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When life gives you lemons, use them to boost your immune system and clean and disinfect your home.

NAPSI—If you’re among the increasing number of Americans keen on natural solutions to boost immunity these days, you may be glad to know the answer may be right in your refrigerator—or should be. Loaded with vitamin C and zinc, and with key antioxidant qualities, Limoneira Lemons can play a vital role in helping the immune system adapt to new threats and conditions.

Experts have cited lemons as a way to “reduce the risk of complications from a cold or flu, and reduce inflammation in the body.” Experiments have also found that lemon juice can destroy the bacteria of malaria, cholera, diphtheria, typhoid and other deadly diseases.

Lemons are also a boon to any kitchen or DIY beauty routine—plus, they’re a handy sustainability tool. Use them to make life simpler without investing in potentially toxic chemicals or overpriced solutions. In fact, beyond their immunity-boosting benefits, lemons provide natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties that let you clean and disinfect your home, naturally.

Here’s how to create a useful all-purpose cleaner for your kitchen and bathroom that can help your house smell spring fresh all year: Combine equal parts lemon juice and water in a spray bottle. You can use it nearly anywhere. For wood surfaces, create a polish by mixing one cup of olive oil and one-half cup of lemon juice. Test it first on a small spot.

For other “green cleaning” with lemon tips, visit www.Limoneira.com/cleaning.

Give Us Your Best Shot! for Thursday, April 9, 2020

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To submit a photo for this section, please visit our contact page or email us at townline@townline.org!

FAMILY TIME (part 1): Michael Bilinsky, of China Village, was busy with his camera recently when he snapped three squirrels feeding together…

FAMILY TIME (part 2): …three chipmunks who look like they were trying to hide…

FAMILY TIME (part 3): …and a flock of Canada Geese cruising in the lake.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Philharmonic

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Philharmonic

EMI, CDC 7474772, cd, recorded 1985-86.

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921) was displaying perfect pitch before he was three years old and would be a child prodigy on the piano by age five; however, his mother sensibly decided he was too young for any exposure to the rigors of public acclaim through an official debut but the boy was allowed to perform for family, friends and other small groups occasionally.

Camille Saint-Saens

From 7 to 13 years of age, Saint-Saens studied with the gifted pedagogue, Camille-Marie Stamaty (1811-1870), who had certain unorthodox teaching tools; for example, he would set a bar in front of the keyboard, and insist that his students rest their elbows and forearms on it, relying only on their fingers and hands to play . The composer felt this was good training.

He gave his first public concert in Paris at 10 years old, performing Concertos by Mozart and Beethoven.

At age 13, he was admitted to the Paris Conservatory but, despite being an outstanding pianist, was strongly encouraged to study organ because of the prevailing view that employment opportunities for organists were far greater in France than for pianists, especially with the large number of churches. He switched his focus to that instrument, got a job as organist at 18 for one of the oldest Parisian churches, itself with 26,000 parishioners and made very good wages. Composer Franz Liszt declared Saint-Saens to be the greatest organist he ever heard.

One of Saint-Saens’s teachers introduced him to the music of Bach, which was one of his greatest loves.

While at the Conservatory, he was also an outstanding student in many other subjects, including French literature, Greek and Latin, philosophy, math, theology, astonomy etc., and would have a lifelong passion for learning.

He premiered the Organ Symphony in London in 1886 where it met with immediate success. Ironically, after 20 years of being a church organist, he cared little for the instrument yet wrote what I feel is his most moving work. It is scored for full orchestra, organ and two pianos and is given a very nice recording by organist Philippe Lefebvre, in a collaboration with the French National Radio Orchestra, under Seiji Ozawa, who was music director of the Boston Symphony from 1973 to 2002. Ozawa also included two very elegant tone poems based on Greek mythology, Phaeton and Omphale’s Spinning Wheel, on this mid-1980s CD.

As a young man, Saint-Saens championed the music of Schumann, Liszt and Wagner but grew quite reactionary with age. He was the teacher and lifelong friend of composer Gabriel Faure but considered Debussy and Stravinsky to be dangerous lunatics who deserved to be institutionalized, after hearing their music.

He gave his last recital in November 1921, at the age of 86, and was reported as being in vigorous health. A month later, he died suddenly of a heart attack while vacationing in Algiers.

Saint-Saens was so precociously talented from his earliest years that Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) commented that this young man lacked one important quality – inexperience!

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS: What to do when things go wrong; and they will

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by Dan Beaulieu
Business consultant

In business, as in life, things go wrong. It can’t be helped; we are all human, and we all make mistakes. No matter how good we are, no matter how hard we try to be careful, every so often something will go wrong. The important thing is how we recover. The trick is to “Recover Boldly” as business writers Todd and Deb Duncan write in their excellent book: The 10 Golden Rules of Customer Service.

They go on to say that the faster you solve a problem, the faster you remedy the situation, the better your company will be viewed. Indeed, I know that my clients often tell me stories about great partnerships being forged with their customers by the way they handled a problem.

Here is what you should do when a problem occurs:

  • Deal with it quickly: forget about whose fault it is, solve the problem, there will be plenty of time to figure that out lately. The problem might even have been caused by the customer herself…so what? It doesn’t matter.
  • Apologies for the problem no matter what. No argument, no dispute, just face up to the problem, apologies and get to work solving it. Remember what you feel like when you have to call a company to tell them about a problem? You expect the worst, always. So, think how relieved you feel, when the person on the other end of the phone sympathizes with you, and gets to work fixing the problem.
  • Fix the problem quickly: faster than you even said you would. Get on it immediately and problem that goes unsolved for too long, will start to rot your customer relationship.
  • Deliver a solution that is more than your promised, and more than the customer expected. This is where you have the opportunity to shine. This is where you get to recover boldly. Give the customer the solution and more. Give them a discount on their next purchase. Give them a free meal if you own a restaurant. Do something that will literally turn the proverbial lemon into lemonade. Whatever the cost of what you give them, it will be worth it in all the free advertising they will give you in return, by telling everyone they know about how you solved their problem. And if you in the end, were not the one who actually caused the problem… that’s even better!

Remember the story about the Nordstrom’s employee who took back a customers tires and refunded his what he had paid for them….even though Nordstrom does not sell tires? We’ve all heard and read that story a hundred times… and that’s the point isn’t it?

One of the best ways to grow your business is based on the way you handle customer problems. The word of mouth publicity is priceless!

THE FRUGAL MAINER: Helping with the Bulldog Closet

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Items available at the Bulldog Closet. (contributed photo)

by Shell Rowe

Were you aware of the fact that approximately 35,000 of Maine’s children are impoverished? A recent Kids Count survey taken in 2018 revealed that up to 14 percent of Maine’s youngest are living in poverty.

A current trend, both state and nationwide, is to distribute essential items to needy students through in-school ‘Care Closets.’ Knowing that Lawrence High School (SAD 49) has such a program, I set out to discover the ins and outs of what they call The Bulldog Closet.

The Bulldog Closet was originally started by Beverly Poissonier during the fall of 2011. These days, Sarah Hebert, who teaches high school English, including KVCC Dual Enrollment courses, manages The Bulldog Closet along with fellow teacher Katherine Wood, the school’s JMG specialist. From its inception, The Closet’s purpose has been to provide donation-funded school supplies to all Lawrence Junior High and High School students who need them.

Traditional charity program rules typically have tight restrictions, so I was surprised to learn that The Bulldog Closet is open to the entire student body during set hours each school day and as further needed with school personnel supervision. Recipients of The Bulldog Closet are instead encouraged to reciprocate.

“We try to teach our students that it is not necessarily about the need, but more of a pay it forward program,” Mrs. Hebert said. “We all have clothes and shoes in our closets that we don’t wear anymore, but are practically still new. If a student sees something they like, they can take it no questions.”

The program’s give and take philosophy extends to their annual Pay It Forward Prom Exchange: junior high and high school students swap their old prom attire with other items (if applicable) for an updated prom style.

In addition to the in-session school closet program, last summer The Bulldog Closet launched a back-to-school program for children of all ages to provide clothing and school supplies. That first event was able to service over 200 families.

For those that would like to help students The Bulldog Closet serves, they have a general need for new or lightly worn clothing (excluding used underwear and socks) including prom dress attire. Items for donation can be delivered to the SAD 49 high school office.

When considering the appropriateness of particular clothing items to donate, Hebert suggests that donors keep in mind “the age level and the dress code” of the school. Here’s a list of personal care items that they can utilize: deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body wash etc., notebooks, pens and pencils, binders and backpacks. For a specific list of their current needs, visit their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/LawrenceBulldogCloset/.

Monetary contributions, in the form of checks made out to Lawrence High School, will be used for funding special events, such as their annual Back to School Pay It Forward and Prom Exchange events or as needed for specific student needs. Please Include “Bulldog Closet” in the memo line.

I asked Hebert if there was anything else she would like the public to know in regards to The Bulldog Closet. She stated, “The public should know that we greatly appreciate them and all of their efforts over the years. Our students are very lucky to have had so many caring individuals looking out for them.”

The Bulldog Closet’s pay it forward philosophy can serve as a model for all of us Mainers.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Observations while riding out the stay at home order

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How to work from home when the office is closed.

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

I think this week we will make a diversion from the usual. To paraphrase an old adage, “Even though our ancestors came across on different ships, we are all in the same boat, now.”

I don’t mean to beat a dead horse, but I will present my take on observations I have made since the outbreak of the pandemic and the subsequent order to stay at home.

Because I am one of those deemed essential workers because of my job in the media, I get around a little, but I don’t flaunt it nor abuse it. It’s from the house to the car, to the office, which is closed to the public, confined with one other worker. At the end of the day, it’s back to the car and back home.

Because I am doing some work from home, I discovered last Friday that my printer was out of ink. Figuring it was essential that I go get some, we traveled to Staples, where the store was practically empty. We only saw three people. My wife and I needed a few items at home, so we figured while we were out, we would do that task so we could hunker down for the rest of the weekend. We avoided Walmart where the line was almost never-ending. We have friends who went there over the weekend and stood in line for two hours. Not a healthy situation.

So, we went to Hannaford where there was a short line – everyone obeying the six-foot markers that had been installed on the sidewalk. Something wonderful happened. Everyone, young and old, was extremely patient and cordial, even though we were standing in the rain. Something else developed. There we were, actually having conversations with total strangers. How refreshing was that?

They were only allowing 50 patrons at a time in the store. Once my wife and I were permitted to enter, we considered all the other people waiting in line, and hurried as best we could to get what we needed, going our separate ways in the store to gather the items, check out and let someone else enter the store, and out of the weather. We wondered how many other people did that. They even had toilet paper, which we took only one 4-pack, leaving some for others. Again, thinking of our neighbors.

The following day, we continued our early and accelerated spring cleaning. Following that, we dressed warmly, and went off for a walk through the neighborhood and around the nearby park. A power walk that took about 20 minutes. Once home, on a relatively quiet day, weatherwise, we sat on our side porch to enjoy the rest of the afternoon until the temperature starting dropping.

In that hour we sat there, we couldn’t help but notice people in the neighborhood still going about their routines – and some not so routine – while the rest of us conscientious citizens stayed home in the hopes it would help mitigate this pandemic. We watched one building, which we couldn’t help because it is located right across from us, where a group of young people – mostly teenagers – as they came and went out of the apartment all day long, piling into cars and pickup trucks, and certainly not practicing social distancing. We wondered what it was they were doing that was essential.

Obviously, there are people out there that are not taking this crisis seriously. Also, from our home, we can see one of Waterville’s more traveled streets, and the flow of vehicles was non-stop, all day long.

This is not meant to complain, but to alert some people that this virus is for real, and we need to take the appropriate measures to try to end it sooner than later.

On Sunday morning, we attended church services, at home, of course. It was a little strange to see it live and not being able to actively participate. We also noticed over 200 other parishers were viewing the service. It made us think how very fortunate we are to not be among the infected, and to live in a rural state like Maine, away from the “hot spots” in the country, and separated from all the congestion of everyday living in the more populated regions.

So, to everyone else out there, let’s be smart, considerate, patient, and above all safe. The bottom line is that everyone else’s safety depends on you.

DEFIANCE

Did you hear about the doctor who decided it was OK to play a round of golf at the Augusta Country Club, despite Gov. Janet Mills’ order for all golf courses to close in conjunction with the stay at home order, and social distancing? It seems he essentially claimed the order didn’t pertain to him because no one was profiting. Nice example, doc, for the rest of us.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Name the four Boston Red Sox batters to have hit 200 or more home runs at Fenway Park?

Answer can be found here.

SOLON & BEYOND: Stroll reminded me of happy times with walk group

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

Today as I sit here at my computer, I’m thinking about the walk I took this afternoon; it brings back many happy days in the past. As many of you know who have been reading this column back in the good old days about a walking group I started. It was made up of many good friends over the years, and we were eventually named The Solon Chapter Beer Drinking, Chowder Eating, Marching and Singing Society, (SCB DCEMSS) by someone in Solon!

Now for some news that I received: The Embden Historical Society April 13, 2020, meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m., at the Embden Community Center, has been canceled (Speaker Jack Gibson’s presentation on “Properties, Trails & History” of Somerset Woods will be rescheduled in 2021). Thanks Carol, for keeping us informed.

Another e-mail that I received was from Sarah, Karla and Mary Lou of Happyknits and it states: Dear Yarn Friends, Sometimes there are events in life that force us to slow down and take stock. We recognize that the most important thing now is to help those who are out there helping others.

Starting today, Happyknits will be closed until Governor Mills’ Stay Healthy at Home order expires, currently April 30. While it will be difficult to lock the door and walk away today, it was not a difficult choice to make. Just know that we will be here for all of you once this ordeal is over, ready to see your smiling faces walk through that door. Until then, we wish all of you and all those you care about the best of health.

Let us know via Facebook or e-mail and what you are doing. What are you knitting or crocheting? Are you finishing those UFOs? Doing some deep stash diving? Reconnecting with old friends? Reach out! We love to know.

I’m going to continue with a little more about living in Flagstaff from the articles that were published. Would the pace of modern-day living have reached Flagstaff? Some of us didn’t have electricity or plumbing, and yet I don’t feel underprivileged because of the pleasant memories I treasure.

The skiing and sliding on Jim Eaton Hill, skating on Flagstaff Pond in winter and swimming in summer. Everyone in town turned out for school socials and plays. It was a wonderful place to grow up. But all during my childhood, every so often during the grown ups conversations, mention was made of a dam being built and having to move. The thought was intolerable, and yet it did come to pass, and in the fall of 1949 the people of Flagstaff and Dead River went their separate ways.

As I wrote last week, my brother Larry is very interested in what growing up in Flagstaff was like, and so that brought back lots of memories. One of them being that we didn’t have indoor plumbin, and quite a few stairs to get there. It was a three holer and quite breezy…. But what I’m getting at is for the benefit of all you people out there who are having a hard time to get enough toilet paper in this terrible situation!

Way back in those days, the Sears Robuck catalogue was used for that purpose! Don’t know if that company is still in business, but there are many other catalogs that might work! Good Luck.

And now for Percy’s memoirs, we hope to cheer you up! This one is entitled Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled: When the days are long and the way seems dark and you can’t hear the song of a bluebird or lark, May the words in this verse brighten your day and chase your worries and cares away. Whenever I am troubled and lost in deep despair I bundle all my troubles up and go to God in prayer… I tell Him I am heartsick and lost and lonely, too, that my mind is deeply burdened and I don’t know what to do… But I know He stilled the tempest and calmed the angry sea, And I humbly ask if in His love He’ll do the same for me… And then I just keep quiet and think only thoughts of Peace, and if I abide in stillness my “restless murmurings” cease. (words by Helen Steiner Rice)…..and this quick one, Even a fish wouldn’t get in trouble if it would keep it’s mouth shut.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Get the Facts on Eating for Health And Boosting Your Immune System Naturally

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(NAPSI)—Registered dietitian for California Strawberries, Colleen Wysocki, explains what factors play a role in immunity, eating for health, and how to boost immune systems naturally:

Factors Influencing the Immune System

Factors that can influence immunity include:

  • Diet
  • Sleep
  • Stress
  • Exercise
  • Microbiome
  • Germs

Eating for Health

Eating for health means increasing whole foods while cutting back on processed foods high in sugar, salt, and saturated fats. People are cautioned not to look for a single “super food” to prevent illness, but rather, start eating a balanced diet to build a strong immune system over time.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans promotes the “My Plate” method of eating for health:

  • ½ of your plate: Colorful fruits and non-starchy vegetables
  • ¼ of your plate: Lean protein
  • ¼ of your plate: Whole grains or starch
  • Low-fat dairy is also encouraged at each meal for those who tolerate lactose.

Consistently building your plate this way prepares the body to fight illness and stress. Eating for health is a long-game; popping a few berries in your mouth when you start to feel a cold coming on will have limited effect. However, if you eat a variety of fruits and vegetables each day, your cells will be better prepared to overcome viruses and infections when your body does encounter them.

The Rainbow of Fruits and Vegetables is at the Heart of Immune-Boosting Foods

Eating the rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day is key to increasing immune cell responses to bacteria and viruses. The phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables that promote health depend on the color of the food.

For instance, red, blue, and purple fruits provide antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. These immune-boosting foods help protect cells from damage and may reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer, stroke, and heart ­disease.

Green vegetables, on the other hand, are recognized as foods good for the immune system and they have anti-cancer properties and protect against neural tube defects in pregnancy.

It’s important to strengthen the body against non-communicable diseases with a variety of fruits and vegetables first; then when contagious germs enter the body, its defenses will be available to fight them off.

Eating a single color in the diet is like going to school and learning a single subject. If first graders were only taught physical education—that would be important, but they would miss out on learning how to add, subtract, read, and write. Similarly, if a person were to only eat one color of fruits and vegetables (such as greens), they risk missing out on nutrients that may promote a more complete immune response.

Protein is Vital for Repair and Recovery from Illness

Protein is also essential for growth and illness recovery. Protein repairs cells and DNA damage caused by illnesses. Skinless poultry, fish, yogurt, eggs, low-fat cheese, and milk are great sources of protein. If you choose vegetarian protein, pair it with vitamin C-rich foods such as strawberries. Iron from plant protein is difficult to absorb without ­vitamin C.

Foods High in Vitamin C

Food sources of vitamin C are more effective at strengthening immunity and overall health than supplements. In addition, fruits and vegetables such as strawberries offer much more than vitamin C; all of their micronutrients work together to help prevent and fight disease.

One serving of eight strawberries provides all the vitamin C you need for a day. Oranges, red peppers, cantaloupe, papaya and kale are also foods high in vitamin C.

How to Boost Immune System Naturally

  • Exercise’s Role in Immunity. For those who want to know how to boost the immune system naturally, after diet, physical activity is key. Exercise is another long-term approach to building strength against germs and disease. Working out not only builds muscle, it also reduces abdominal fat, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and stress—all risk factors for disease. It can help you sleep better and decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety.

The American Heart Association recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate cardio exercise and at least three days of strength-building exercises per week.

  • Sleep and Stress. Increasing sleep and decreasing stress are also on the list of how to boost your immune system naturally. Do your best to get adequate sleep (7+ hours each night).

During stressful times, techniques to help manage anxiety may include talking to someone, checking in on loved ones, exercise, sleep, and eating a nutritious diet.

  • Microbiome and Germs. Don’t neglect the role bacteria play in spreading harmful germs. While you can wipe out germs and bacteria on surfaces, it’s critical to feed your gut good bacteria.

Pre- and probiotics are immune-boosting foods because they feed the good bacteria in the gut. Prebiotics include fiber from fruits and vegetables, while probiotics include strawberries, apples, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough bread, and some cheeses.

For more strawberry nutrition information and recipes, visit californiastrawberries.com.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Experimenting

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White vinegar is essential for many cleaning jobs.

by Debbie Walker

It finally happened. I got a little too curious! No, I am not trying out a new recipe that just won’t happen. However, I did decide to try something I have written about, without personal experience!

My son-in-law was looking at some old woodworking tools that were just loaded with rust. Before he could put them away again, I asked if I could have them for a couple of days. These were old wood planers he and my grandson were interested in.

I had read about boiling vinegar and soaking the rust covered tools in for overnight. It was interesting to watch for a few minutes. I actually saw rust bubbling off the tools.

The next day there was still a considerable amount of rust so this time I poured room temperature vinegar over them. I didn’t see any rust flaking off the tools this time. The combination did make a big difference and I was able to brush away some of it.

Well, I looked up “Cleaning rusted tools” on YouTube. I found a couple different men talking about using baking soda and lemon juice. Make a paste and spread it over the rusted tool. I was a little disappointed with this application.

But I’m not done yet. I did have a problem when there were no more rusted tools to experiment with. But Deana, my daughter, saved the day. She found an old rusted lawn mower blade. That will do. I still wanted to try a bottle of Coke on the rust. I will let you know how my last test turns out.

A little info:

Most cleaning and laundry chores call for white vinegar. Apple Cider vinegar is a good choice that calls for giving the air a pleasant, apple fresh scent.

Vinegar will tarnish silver. Never soak pearls in vinegar, it will dissolve them. Be careful also with opal, coral or ivory.

If you ever got white-out on your clothes you know its not easy to get it out. A quick dab of white vinegar will melt it away. For the stubborn one reapply or soak for a few minutes. Wish I knew that when I was working in an office!

Remember always be careful. Not all fabrics like things like vinegar!

More than once I have glued my fingers together with super-glue. It’s kind of a scary thing when you are alone and have no idea how to get your fingers free. I wish I had known then to just soak the affected digits in full strength vinegar.

Stripping wallpaper is quite a job, but your helpful item is once again vinegar. 1 cup of vinegar, one tablespoon of liquid detergent. Spray or wipe solution on wall and let set a few minutes. Scrape off.

As usual I am just curious, this time what ya’ll use to clean rust off tools Contact me at DebbieWalker@townline.org with your comments or questions. Have a great week and thanks for reading!

P.S. Joan emailed me with her go-to all time cleaner: one cup clear ammonia, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup baking soda, one gallon hot water. Mix together and pour into a spray bottle. Thank you, Joan for sharing!